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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. field — for sport
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. field — a subject
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bore — to drill
  7. board — to get on
  8. tear — from crying
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. cap — a lid
  12. sharp — clever
  13. board — a committee
  14. tear — to rip
  15. stand — to bear
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. field — farmland
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. tear — from crying
  21. cap — of ice
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. cap — a hat
  24. pass — a permit

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