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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. spring — a coil
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. spring — the season
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. spring — of water
  13. face — to confront
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. current — happening now
  17. face — to point toward
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pass — a permit
  20. current — of water
  21. wax — to grow
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. current — electric

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