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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. clip — for paper
  5. cell — a phone
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. current — electric
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. clip — a video
  11. current — happening now
  12. rock — a stone
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. lean — to bend
  16. cell — in biology
  17. lean — thin
  18. clip — to cut
  19. current — of water
  20. key — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. key — the most important part
  24. rock — music

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