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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. cold — an illness
  8. bat — the animal
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. pass — a permit
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — to trim
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. cold — not warm
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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