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 120 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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. snap — to click
  4. suit — to fit
  5. degree — temperature
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. degree — an amount
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. suit — in cards
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. suit — clothes
  15. degree — from a university
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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