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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — a hole
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. content — the amount
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. drill — the tool
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. face — part of the head
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. face — to confront
  13. drill — a practice
  14. key — for a lock
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. key — in music
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. face — to point toward
  19. drill — army training
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. key — the most important part
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pit — in a race
  24. content — happy

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