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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. mug — to rob
  3. pass — a permit
  4. spring — a coil
  5. mug — a cup
  6. spring — the season
  7. field — for sport
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. field — farmland
  10. can — a tin
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — to breed
  13. can — a tin
  14. mug — a face
  15. fine — all right
  16. band — a ring
  17. band — a music group
  18. can — to be able to
  19. mate — a friend
  20. fine — high quality
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. spring — of water
  23. field — a subject
  24. fine — a penalty

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