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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bank — for money
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. capital — money
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bank — of a river
  13. key — the most important part
  14. capital — a city
  15. sharp — clever
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. game — wild animals
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pass — a permit
  20. game — a match
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. key — in music
  23. bank — for money
  24. sharp — exactly

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