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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bat — the animal
  5. track — a path
  6. rest — what's left
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. track — to keep track
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. track — a song
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bat — for baseball

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