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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. present — a gift
  3. staff — employees
  4. track — to keep track
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. charge — electricity
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. charge — a price
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. charge — in control
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. key — the most important part
  15. track — a song
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. key — in music
  19. staff — a stick
  20. present — the time now
  21. staff — employees
  22. track — a path
  23. present — there
  24. key — for a lock

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