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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — the underground
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. season — in sport
  7. pass — a permit
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. rule — a law
  12. ground — the earth
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. ground — crushed
  15. season — of the year
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. ground — a position
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rule — government
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. safe — out of danger

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