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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. rule — a law
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pit — in a race
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. wind — moving air
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. rule — government
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. wind — moving air
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. kid — child
  15. kid — to tease
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bulb — for light
  21. foot — a measure
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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