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: roll · date · hide · pass · bore · field · bear · mate

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. date — the fruit
  3. roll — a list
  4. bore — to tire
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. field — a subject
  7. bear — the animal
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. field — farmland
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mate — a friend
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. roll — a cake
  15. mate — to breed
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. field — for sport
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. mate — a partner

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