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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. branch — a division
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. pit — a hole
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. stand — to bear
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. pit — in a race
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bay — a horse colour

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