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 116 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. board — to get on
  3. ground — the earth
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. rush — hurry
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fork — in a road
  14. ground — crushed
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. pit — in a race
  17. ground — a position
  18. saw — the tool
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. board — a committee
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — on your feet

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