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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. wound — an injury
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. march — music
  10. pit — in a race
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. march — the month
  14. chair — a leader
  15. deal — to handle
  16. rash — hasty
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. march — the month
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — the underground
  24. pass — a permit

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