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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. saw — the tool
  7. can — a tin
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — to get on
  10. pit — a hole
  11. net — for catching
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. stand — to bear
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. net — after costs
  16. snap — to click
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. can — to be able to
  19. capital — money
  20. capital — a city
  21. can — a tin
  22. pit — in a race
  23. saw — the tool
  24. stand — for spectators

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