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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. file — a line of people
  3. fall — the season
  4. spring — of water
  5. file — a tool
  6. current — happening now
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. fall — to drop
  9. pass — a permit
  10. spring — the season
  11. file — a document
  12. current — electric
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. current — of water
  17. spring — a coil
  18. fall — to drop

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