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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. degree — temperature
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. court — for sport
  8. lie — to recline
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. court — of law
  11. degree — an amount
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. degree — from a university
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pitch — completely
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. snap — to click
  24. court — of a king

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