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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — after costs
  6. rash — a series
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. spell — magic
  9. pit — a hole
  10. object — a thing
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — letters
  13. rash — hasty
  14. mate — to breed
  15. pit — in a race
  16. mate — a partner
  17. object — to protest
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. net — in sport
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. object — an aim
  23. kick — in football
  24. vault — a safe

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