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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · last · pass · wake · fall · arm

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. fall — the season
  5. pit — a hole
  6. last — to go on
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. last — final
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. wake — a trail
  12. pass — a permit
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pit — in a race
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. last — finally
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. pass — to succeed

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