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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. mug — a cup
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. bank — of a river
  6. fall — the season
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. pit — a hole
  9. fall — to drop
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a face
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. fall — to drop
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bank — for money
  17. kid — child
  18. bank — for money
  19. kid — to tease
  20. cap — of ice
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. cap — a hat

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