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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pit — a hole
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — a price
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. mug — to rob
  9. pass — a permit
  10. charge — electricity
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. pit — in a race
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. mug — a cup
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. toast — bread
  24. mug — a face

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