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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. chest — a box
  3. row — a line
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pit — in a race
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. chest — of your body
  15. game — wild animals
  16. swing — music
  17. swing — to play on
  18. row — to paddle
  19. chest — of your body
  20. game — a match
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. pass — a permit
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. swing — in golf

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