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: bound · wave · current · safe · court · bay · bat · pass

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. court — of a king
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. current — of water
  6. bound — certain
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. court — for sport
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bound — obliged
  14. current — electric
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bound — tied together
  17. current — happening now
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. pass — a permit
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. court — of law
  24. pass — to spend time

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