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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. row — to paddle
  3. mate — to breed
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. march — the month
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. march — the month
  13. row — a line
  14. march — music
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mate — a partner
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. fork — in a road
  23. mate — a friend
  24. hand — help

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