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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. lean — thin
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. drill — a practice
  6. lean — to bend
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. cue — for pool
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pass — a permit
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. drill — the tool
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. pound — a weight
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — a hint
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. drill — army training
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. mouse — the animal

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