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: spring · pop · lash · roll · ruler · pass · wake · clip

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. spring — the season
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. spring — of water
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. clip — for paper
  8. roll — a list
  9. spring — a coil
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pop — soda
  12. pass — a permit
  13. clip — a video
  14. pop — to visit
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. roll — a cake
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pop — music
  21. clip — to cut
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. wake — before a funeral

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