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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. last — final
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. mate — a friend
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bank — for money
  8. last — finally
  9. lean — thin
  10. bass — low music
  11. lean — to bend
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bank — of a river
  14. game — wild animals
  15. mate — a partner
  16. last — to go on
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — a container
  19. game — a match
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bass — the fish
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bank — for money

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