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 116 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bat — the animal
  7. pass — a permit
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. ground — a position
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — high quality
  13. ground — crushed
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. ground — the earth
  18. rock — a stone
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. sharp — clever
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. rock — music
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. fine — a penalty

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