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 120 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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pit — in a race
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bass — the fish
  7. key — for a lock
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. lean — to bend
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bass — low music
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. mark — a grade
  15. key — the most important part
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. lean — thin
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. pit — a hole
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. rash — a series
  24. key — in music

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