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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. rest — what's left
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. court — of a king
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. file — a document
  8. file — a line of people
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. court — for sport
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. pit — a hole
  13. rest — a break
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. snap — to click
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. court — of law
  18. rest — what's left
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. file — a tool
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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