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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bound — tied together
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bound — certain
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bank — of a river
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. row — a line
  15. wound — an injury
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bound — obliged
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bank — for money
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bank — for money
  24. fan — to cool the air

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