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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. pop — music
  4. firm — steady
  5. tear — from crying
  6. firm — a company
  7. tear — to rip
  8. pop — soda
  9. pop — to visit
  10. tear — from crying
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. shower — to wash
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. pass — a permit
  16. shower — rain
  17. band — a music group
  18. chip — for betting
  19. wound — an injury
  20. chip — to eat
  21. band — a ring
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. wound — an injury
  24. firm — decided

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