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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. scale — size or range
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pit — a hole
  10. rest — what's left
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. pass — a permit
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. mark — a trace
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rest — a break
  20. scale — in music
  21. club — for dancing
  22. pit — in a race
  23. club — a group
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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