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: toast · rash · swing · bear · cell · rush · pass · bark

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. toast — bread
  5. swing — music
  6. bear — the animal
  7. cell — a phone
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. rush — hurry
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. cell — in biology
  12. swing — in golf
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. swing — to play on
  19. rash — a series
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. bear — the animal

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