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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pitch — completely
  4. lean — thin
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. roll — a list
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. kick — in football
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. fine — high quality
  18. pass — a permit
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. roll — a cake
  21. fine — all right
  22. lean — to bend
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. fine — a penalty

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