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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. roll — a list
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. can — a tin
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pass — a permit
  10. kid — to tease
  11. roll — a cake
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. vault — a safe
  17. can — a tin
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. wake — a trail
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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