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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. plane — a tool
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. mate — a friend
  5. key — the most important part
  6. squash — the sport
  7. key — in music
  8. squash — to crush
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. band — a music group
  12. pass — a permit
  13. band — a ring
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. mate — a partner
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pound — a weight
  23. mate — to breed
  24. plane — in geometry

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