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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. cold — an illness
  3. mate — a partner
  4. cold — not warm
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. pit — a hole
  10. fine — all right
  11. object — a thing
  12. mate — a friend
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. stem — to come from
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. mate — to breed
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. chair — a leader
  21. object — an aim
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. object — to protest
  24. fine — high quality

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