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: present · sharp · leaves · charge · pass · land · bear · bat

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. sharp — clever
  3. charge — a price
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. present — a gift
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. present — there
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. land — ground
  13. charge — electricity
  14. present — the time now
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bat — the animal
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. land — to come down
  20. land — a country
  21. charge — in control
  22. pass — a permit
  23. leaves — lets stay
  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