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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. clip — for paper
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. rush — hurry
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. clip — a video
  8. staff — a stick
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. clip — to cut
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. staff — employees
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. staff — employees
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wind — moving air
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. toast — bread
  20. pass — a permit
  21. wind — moving air
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. patient — a sick person

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