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: pass · suit · straw · bass · date · bat · bound · rest

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. rest — what's left
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bound — tied together
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. bass — low music
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bat — the animal
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bound — certain
  17. rest — a break
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bass — the fish
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. suit — to fit
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. bound — obliged

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