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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. staff — employees
  5. tear — from crying
  6. chip — to eat
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. can — a tin
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. tear — to rip
  11. rush — hurry
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. chip — for betting
  17. can — a tin
  18. staff — a stick
  19. can — to be able to
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. pass — a permit
  22. staff — employees
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. tear — from crying

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