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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. current — of water
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. lean — thin
  5. rest — what's left
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. land — ground
  8. land — a country
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pit — a hole
  12. land — to come down
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — to bend
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — electric
  17. rest — what's left
  18. squash — to crush
  19. present — there
  20. present — a gift
  21. pit — in a race
  22. squash — the sport
  23. rest — a break
  24. present — the time now

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