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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. pit — a hole
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. tube — the underground
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. firm — decided
  8. stand — to bear
  9. firm — a company
  10. game — a match
  11. fine — all right
  12. stem — to come from
  13. game — wild animals
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — high quality
  20. pit — in a race
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. firm — steady
  24. tube — a container

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