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 116 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: pitch · pass · wake · tear · mate · fan · bear · pound

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  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. pass — to succeed
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bear — the animal
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wake — a trail
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pound — a weight
  12. tear — to rip
  13. tear — from crying
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. mate — a friend
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — completely
  18. tear — from crying
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  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