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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. staff — employees
  5. pass — a permit
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. ball — a great time
  8. staff — a stick
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rock — a stone
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. ball — a dance
  16. rock — music
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. staff — employees
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wound — an injury
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. calf — of the leg

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