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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. game — a match
  6. stand — to bear
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. pit — in a race
  11. content — happy
  12. pit — a hole
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. race — the arms race
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. race — humankind
  19. game — wild animals
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. content — the amount
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. race — a contest
  24. lash — an eyelash

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