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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. band — a music group
  4. ball — a great time
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. track — a path
  8. net — in sport
  9. suit — in cards
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a song
  12. ball — a dance
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. suit — to fit
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. net — after costs
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — to bear
  19. suit — clothes
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. net — for catching
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. pass — a permit
  24. band — a ring

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