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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. firm — a company
  5. rush — hurry
  6. file — a line of people
  7. craft — boats
  8. land — ground
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. land — a country
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. firm — decided
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. firm — steady
  16. file — a tool
  17. craft — a skill
  18. march — music
  19. land — to come down
  20. file — a document
  21. march — the month
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. march — the month
  24. craft — a handicraft

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