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: pass · rest · saw · cue · pop · leaves · last · file

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. rest — what's left
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pop — soda
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. cue — for pool
  7. last — finally
  8. last — to go on
  9. file — a document
  10. pop — music
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — a permit
  14. rest — a break
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. last — final
  18. file — a tool
  19. rest — what's left
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. saw — the tool
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pop — to visit

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