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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bass — the fish
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. bass — low music
  12. net — for catching
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. staff — employees
  16. net — in sport
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bear — the animal
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. net — after costs
  24. staff — employees

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