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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pass — a permit
  3. wind — moving air
  4. fall — to drop
  5. firm — decided
  6. wound — an injury
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. wound — an injury
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. season — in sport
  12. cue — a signal
  13. season — of the year
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — for pool
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. fall — to drop
  19. wind — moving air
  20. fall — the season
  21. firm — a company
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. firm — steady
  24. rush — a thrill

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