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: key · board · rush · bat · hide · lean · pass · net

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. lean — to bend
  5. key — for a lock
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. pass — a permit
  11. board — a committee
  12. key — in music
  13. bat — the animal
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. net — for catching
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. net — after costs
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. key — the most important part
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. lean — thin
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. rush — hurry
  24. board — to get on

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