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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. fine — all right
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — crushed
  6. deal — to handle
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. degree — from a university
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. ground — a position
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. saw — the tool
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. fine — high quality
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. degree — an amount
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. degree — temperature
  22. pass — a permit
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. deal — an agreement

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