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: wax · pass · bowl · band · mate · stick · pound · pit

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pit — in a race
  4. wax — to grow
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. band — a music group
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. mate — a partner
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pass — a permit
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. band — a ring

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