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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. mug — a cup
  5. chip — to eat
  6. mug — a face
  7. prune — to trim
  8. land — ground
  9. land — a country
  10. prune — to trim
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. game — wild animals
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pit — in a race
  16. mug — to rob
  17. land — to come down
  18. chip — for betting
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. game — a match
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. safe — a strongbox

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