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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — a phone
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pit — a hole
  5. game — wild animals
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lie — to recline
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pit — in a race
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. game — a match
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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