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: rush · arm · tear · nail · fall · mouse · mate · pass

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mate — a partner
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. fall — to drop
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pass — a permit
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mate — a friend
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. tear — to rip
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. tear — from crying
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — the season
  23. mate — to breed
  24. nail — for a hammer

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