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: fan · bark · mouse · cell · pitcher · pass · race · deal

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. cell — in biology
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bark — to shout
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. cell — a phone
  15. deal — to handle
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pass — a permit
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. race — a contest
  22. race — humankind
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. race — the arms race

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