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

Word bank: pound · mouse · mug · capital · safe · lean · last · pass

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. last — finally
  3. lean — to bend
  4. capital — money
  5. mug — a face
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. pound — a weight
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — final
  20. capital — a city
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. mug — a cup
  24. pass — to spend time

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