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 120 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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. ball — a dance
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. pass — a permit
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. season — in sport
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. season — of the year
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. key — in music
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. key — for a lock

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