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 124 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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. ball — a dance
  3. fall — to drop
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. staff — employees
  7. bear — the animal
  8. staff — employees
  9. fall — to drop
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — there
  12. band — a music group
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. band — a ring
  15. present — a gift
  16. shower — to wash
  17. shower — rain
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. ball — a great time
  22. staff — a stick
  23. fall — the season
  24. pass — a permit

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