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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. can — a tin
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pit — in a race
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. can — to be able to
  8. spell — a short time
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — completely
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. wake — a trail
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. can — a tin
  17. cell — a phone
  18. cell — in biology
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. spell — magic
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pit — a hole
  24. spell — letters

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