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 124 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — a permit
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. field — farmland
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. hand — in cards
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. fork — in a road
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. snap — to click
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. field — a subject
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. field — for sport
  20. hand — help
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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