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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pit — in a race
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bass — low music
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bore — to tire
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. pit — a hole
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bass — the fish
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bat — the animal
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. patient — a sick person

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