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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — a permit
  5. season — in sport
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. fine — all right
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. fine — high quality
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. vault — a safe
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rush — hurry
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. season — of the year
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. mine — for digging
  24. lash — an eyelash

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