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: mate · pound · pass · wave · hand · bay · ball · straw

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. ball — a great time
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pass — a permit
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. hand — help
  13. pound — a weight
  14. ball — a dance
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. mate — to breed
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. hand — in cards
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — a friend

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