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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. rule — government
  3. game — wild animals
  4. rest — what's left
  5. game — a match
  6. rest — a break
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rock — a stone
  13. snap — to click
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. rule — a law
  18. rock — music
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. perch — the fish
  23. rest — what's left
  24. nail — on a finger

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