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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. pass — a permit
  3. net — for catching
  4. field — farmland
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. field — for sport
  7. object — to protest
  8. last — finally
  9. club — a group
  10. field — a subject
  11. net — after costs
  12. suit — clothes
  13. wind — moving air
  14. last — to go on
  15. suit — to fit
  16. club — for dancing
  17. club — for golf
  18. last — final
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. object — an aim
  21. object — a thing
  22. net — in sport
  23. suit — in cards
  24. pass — to spend time

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