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 116 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: ball · stand · file · present · staff · snap · race · pass

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. race — a contest
  3. present — the time now
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. file — a tool
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. snap — to click
  8. staff — employees
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. file — a line of people
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. present — there
  14. race — the arms race
  15. ball — a dance
  16. staff — a stick
  17. race — humankind
  18. file — a document
  19. staff — employees
  20. stand — to bear
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. pass — a permit
  24. present — a gift

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