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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. rest — what's left
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. shower — to wash
  7. kid — child
  8. content — happy
  9. pass — a permit
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rash — a series
  12. shower — rain
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. kid — to tease
  17. tube — a container
  18. content — the amount
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rash — hasty
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — the underground
  23. rest — a break
  24. pass — to spend time

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