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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. cell — in biology
  3. can — to be able to
  4. track — to keep track
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. cell — a phone
  10. can — a tin
  11. file — a line of people
  12. band — a music group
  13. bear — the animal
  14. track — a song
  15. bear — the animal
  16. band — a ring
  17. file — a tool
  18. can — a tin
  19. ball — a dance
  20. track — a path
  21. file — a document
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a round shape

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