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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a committee
  6. clip — a video
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. fall — to drop
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. clip — to cut
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. fall — to drop
  17. vault — a safe
  18. fall — the season
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. clip — for paper
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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