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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. net — for catching
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. rock — a stone
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pit — a hole
  11. prune — to trim
  12. net — in sport
  13. net — after costs
  14. saw — the tool
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rock — music
  20. dip — to sink
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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