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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. suit — to fit
  3. race — a contest
  4. race — the arms race
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pit — in a race
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pitch — completely
  10. net — for catching
  11. dip — to sink
  12. pop — music
  13. pit — a hole
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. net — after costs
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. suit — clothes
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. net — in sport
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pop — soda
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. race — humankind

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