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 116 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. present — a gift
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. pass — a permit
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. present — there
  8. chair — a leader
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pitch — completely
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. current — electric
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — of water
  22. present — the time now
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. pitch — a sports field

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