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: pass · bat · spell · suit · track · rest · mark · pitcher

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. rest — what's left
  3. mark — a grade
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rest — a break
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. spell — magic
  10. mark — a trace
  11. rest — what's left
  12. track — a path
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. spell — letters
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. suit — to fit
  18. track — a song
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bat — the animal
  21. spell — a short time
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. track — to keep track
  24. pitcher — a jug

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