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 116 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. prune — to trim
  4. shower — rain
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. ground — the earth
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ground — a position
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. shower — to wash
  16. bear — the animal
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. ground — crushed
  19. prune — to trim
  20. mine — for digging
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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