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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. date — the fruit
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bear — the animal
  8. fall — to drop
  9. rock — music
  10. net — in sport
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. net — for catching
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bear — the animal
  15. chair — a leader
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. net — after costs
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. fall — the season
  23. pass — a permit
  24. date — on the calendar

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