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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. spell — letters
  4. spring — of water
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pit — a hole
  10. spring — the season
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. spring — a coil
  15. pit — in a race
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. spell — magic
  18. lie — to recline
  19. rush — hurry
  20. spell — a short time
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. pitch — completely
  24. wake — a trail

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