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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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. content — videos and posts
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. object — to protest
  6. content — happy
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pit — a hole
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. object — an aim
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. wind — moving air
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. content — the amount
  22. bear — the animal
  23. object — a thing
  24. perch — the fish

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