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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. hand — in cards
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. pass — a permit
  7. mug — to rob
  8. wind — moving air
  9. rest — a break
  10. stock — goods
  11. rest — what's left
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. rest — what's left
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — shares
  17. mug — a face
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. band — a ring
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. wind — moving air
  22. band — a music group
  23. hand — help
  24. mug — a cup

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