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 116 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. pit — a hole
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. plane — a tool
  7. pit — in a race
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. chip — for betting
  10. pound — a weight
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — a container
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. tube — the underground
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. row — to paddle
  19. row — a line
  20. charge — electricity
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. chip — to eat

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