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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. ground — the earth
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. ground — crushed
  5. season — of the year
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. current — electric
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. snap — to click
  13. ground — a position
  14. bound — certain
  15. rush — hurry
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bank — of a river
  19. current — happening now
  20. bank — for money
  21. current — of water
  22. bank — for money
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bound — obliged

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