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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. pass — a permit
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. hand — in cards
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. net — in sport
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. net — after costs
  12. track — a song
  13. snap — to click
  14. net — for catching
  15. bear — the animal
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. track — to keep track
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. hand — help
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. pass — to succeed

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