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 120 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. chair — a leader
  7. file — a document
  8. shower — rain
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. firm — a company
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. pass — a permit
  13. file — a line of people
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. firm — steady
  18. file — a tool
  19. shower — to wash
  20. fork — in a road
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. firm — decided
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. chair — a professorship

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