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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. court — of law
  3. drill — the tool
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. drill — army training
  6. craft — boats
  7. drill — a practice
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pit — a hole
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. chip — for betting
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. sharp — clever
  15. content — happy
  16. court — for sport
  17. content — the amount
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. court — of a king
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. craft — a skill
  22. chip — to eat
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. sharp — with an edge

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