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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. deal — to handle
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. scale — size or range
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. wake — a trail
  14. chair — a leader
  15. pass — a permit
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. scale — in music
  20. fork — in a road
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. deal — an agreement

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