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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. lean — thin
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. pit — a hole
  5. scale — size or range
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a path
  8. content — the amount
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pit — in a race
  11. march — the month
  12. march — music
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — completely
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. lean — to bend
  20. scale — in music
  21. track — a song
  22. march — the month
  23. content — happy
  24. safe — a strongbox

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