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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. net — after costs
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. wound — an injury
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — to protest
  9. bass — the fish
  10. mark — a grade
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pit — in a race
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bass — low music
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. pit — a hole
  20. object — an aim
  21. pitch — completely
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. net — for catching
  24. net — in sport

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