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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cold — not warm
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. rush — hurry
  12. root — of a plant
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ball — a great time
  19. root — of a word
  20. cold — an illness
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. root — the cause
  23. ball — a dance
  24. pass — a permit

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