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 120 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. mug — a face
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. tube — a container
  5. shower — rain
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. game — wild animals
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mug — to rob
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. shower — to wash
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. lie — to recline
  15. game — a match
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. mug — a cup
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. pit — a hole

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