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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. clip — for paper
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. clip — a video
  7. craft — boats
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pass — a permit
  11. staff — a stick
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. staff — employees
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. clip — to cut
  20. season — of the year
  21. fork — in a road
  22. season — in sport
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. staff — employees

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