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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. current — of water
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. track — to keep track
  7. kid — child
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. current — electric
  10. track — a path
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. pass — a permit
  13. kick — in football
  14. cold — an illness
  15. kid — to tease
  16. pound — a weight
  17. current — happening now
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. track — a song
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. cold — not warm
  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