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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pit — a hole
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. mate — to breed
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. present — a gift
  7. pass — a permit
  8. hand — in cards
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. present — there
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. present — the time now
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. mate — a partner
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. hand — help
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bay — a horse colour

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