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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. pass — a permit
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. cold — not warm
  6. rush — hurry
  7. shower — to wash
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. prune — to trim
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. shower — rain
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. vault — a safe
  20. prune — to trim
  21. chest — a box
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. cold — an illness
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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