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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. content — happy
  3. chip — to eat
  4. pit — a hole
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. roll — a list
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. staff — employees
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. content — the amount
  14. chip — for betting
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. roll — a cake
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bat — the animal

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