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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. fall — the season
  4. club — a group
  5. can — a tin
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — for betting
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bore — to tire
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. pass — a permit
  19. fall — to drop
  20. can — a tin
  21. club — for golf
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. fall — to drop
  24. chip — to eat

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