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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. race — the arms race
  5. perch — the fish
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. race — a contest
  9. hand — in cards
  10. chair — a leader
  11. hand — help
  12. mine — for digging
  13. race — humankind
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. suit — to fit
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. suit — in cards

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