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 120 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. chest — of your body
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. season — of the year
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mine — for digging
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. season — in sport
  14. craft — a skill
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. chest — a box
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. craft — boats
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. pit — a hole
  22. chest — of your body
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. calf — of the leg

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