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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. pit — in a race
  3. track — a path
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — in control
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. pit — a hole
  15. wake — a trail
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. ground — the earth
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. ground — crushed
  21. chip — for betting
  22. charge — electricity
  23. track — a song
  24. track — to keep track

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