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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. ground — crushed
  3. key — the most important part
  4. pit — a hole
  5. field — for sport
  6. pit — in a race
  7. field — farmland
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stand — to bear
  11. squash — the sport
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. key — in music
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. ground — a position
  19. bulb — for light
  20. field — a subject
  21. ground — the earth
  22. squash — to crush
  23. key — for a lock
  24. stand — on your feet

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