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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. can — a tin
  3. bank — of a river
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pass — a permit
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. present — a gift
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. wound — an injury
  16. present — there
  17. net — after costs
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — for money
  21. present — the time now
  22. sharp — clever
  23. net — in sport
  24. net — for catching

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