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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. can — to be able to
  3. pass — a permit
  4. charge — a price
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. hand — help
  8. can — a tin
  9. tube — the underground
  10. charge — in control
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. can — a tin
  13. bound — tied together
  14. hand — in cards
  15. charge — electricity
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. tube — a container
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bear — the animal

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