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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. band — a ring
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. mug — a face
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. band — a music group
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. pass — a permit
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mug — a cup
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. mug — to rob

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