ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. pass — a permit
  7. drill — army training
  8. track — a path
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. track — a song
  14. drill — a practice
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. drill — the tool
  18. pass — to spend time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com