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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mate — to breed
  3. present — there
  4. pit — a hole
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. net — for catching
  13. present — the time now
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. net — in sport
  18. present — a gift
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. mate — a partner
  21. pit — in a race
  22. net — after costs
  23. bat — the animal
  24. mate — a friend

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