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 120 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: pass · ruler · clip · rash · spring · suit · sharp · track

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. track — to keep track
  3. clip — for paper
  4. rash — hasty
  5. suit — in cards
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. spring — the season
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — a permit
  13. track — a song
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. track — a path
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. clip — a video
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — clever
  20. suit — to fit
  21. rash — a series
  22. spring — a coil
  23. suit — clothes
  24. clip — to cut

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