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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. suit — in cards
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. mine — for digging
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. wax — to grow
  15. lie — to recline
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. kid — to tease
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. kid — child
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. pitch — completely
  24. jam — a tight spot

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