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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. spell — magic
  4. bound — obliged
  5. rest — what's left
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rest — a break
  8. current — happening now
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. current — electric
  12. can — a tin
  13. pass — a permit
  14. can — to be able to
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. bound — tied together
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. bound — certain
  19. spell — letters
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. current — of water
  22. spell — a short time
  23. rest — what's left
  24. can — a tin

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