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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. spring — a coil
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. wax — to grow
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pass — a permit
  9. roll — a list
  10. charge — in control
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. rock — music
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. present — a gift
  15. spring — the season
  16. charge — electricity
  17. spring — of water
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. present — the time now
  20. rock — a stone
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. present — there
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. charge — a price

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