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: pitcher · stick · bay · last · racket · season · bore · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bore — to tire
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. last — to go on
  11. season — of the year
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. last — final
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bore — to drill
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. last — finally
  23. season — in sport
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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