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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. pass — a permit
  5. rash — a series
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. cold — not warm
  8. dip — to sink
  9. ground — a position
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. ground — crushed
  17. rash — hasty
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. cold — an illness
  21. lean — to bend
  22. ground — the earth
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. dip — a sauce

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