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: stick · nail · suit · march · roll · stand · bat · pass

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. roll — a list
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. march — the month
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. suit — clothes
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bat — the animal
  17. pass — a permit
  18. roll — a cake
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. march — music
  22. march — the month
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bat — in an idiom

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