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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. bank — of a river
  3. court — of a king
  4. pit — in a race
  5. stock — goods
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bank — for money
  9. court — for sport
  10. pit — a hole
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bank — for money
  14. court — of law
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — shares
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to confront
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. face — to point toward
  24. wave — with your hand

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