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: board · kid · rush · mark · last · land · cap · pass

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. cap — a hat
  4. kid — to tease
  5. land — to come down
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. land — ground
  8. board — to get on
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. land — a country
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. mark — a grade
  15. kid — child
  16. rush — hurry
  17. last — final
  18. last — finally
  19. cap — of ice
  20. board — a committee
  21. last — to go on
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. mark — a trace
  24. rush — a thrill

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