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 124 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. present — there
  6. game — a match
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. game — wild animals
  10. present — the time now
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. present — a gift
  14. pass — a permit
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. sharp — clever
  18. date — the fruit

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