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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. cell — in biology
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. suit — clothes
  7. capital — a city
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pass — a permit
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. pound — a weight
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wind — moving air
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. cell — a phone
  24. capital — money

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