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: pass · firm · foot · rest · can · bark · leaves · land

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. rest — a break
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rest — what's left
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pass — a permit
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bark — to shout
  14. can — a tin
  15. foot — a measure
  16. firm — steady
  17. land — to come down
  18. can — a tin
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. land — a country
  21. firm — decided
  22. can — to be able to
  23. land — ground
  24. bark — of a tree

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