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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pit — in a race
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. net — after costs
  8. game — a match
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. can — to be able to
  12. mark — a trace
  13. pit — a hole
  14. net — in sport
  15. mark — a grade
  16. game — wild animals
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. net — for catching
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. can — a tin
  24. fan — a supporter

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