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 120 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. mark — a grade
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. present — the time now
  5. net — after costs
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mark — a trace
  11. net — for catching
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. present — there
  14. vault — a safe
  15. cue — a hint
  16. rush — hurry
  17. net — in sport
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pit — in a race
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. present — a gift
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. pit — a hole

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