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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. capital — money
  4. mug — a cup
  5. pass — a permit
  6. season — of the year
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. capital — a city
  13. rush — hurry
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. fine — high quality
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mug — a face
  19. season — in sport
  20. mug — to rob
  21. lean — thin
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — to bend

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