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: pop · mug · sharp · cap · bay · rash · last · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  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. pass — to succeed
  2. mug — to rob
  3. last — to go on
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. cap — of ice
  6. rash — a series
  7. cap — a lid
  8. pop — soda
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. cap — a hat
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. last — final
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. sharp — clever
  19. pop — music
  20. last — finally
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. rash — hasty
  23. pass — a permit
  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