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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. shower — to wash
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. cue — a signal
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. cue — a hint
  10. pass — a permit
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. present — the time now
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. present — a gift
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. present — there
  22. cue — for pool
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. shower — rain

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