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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wax — to grow
  3. present — there
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. wound — an injury
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. present — the time now
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. rush — hurry
  23. present — a gift
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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