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 120 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. fork — in a road
  3. tube — the underground
  4. mug — a cup
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mug — a face
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. mate — a friend
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mate — a partner
  17. pass — a permit
  18. mate — to breed
  19. bat — the animal
  20. tube — a container
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. leaves — lets stay

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