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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — after costs
  4. pit — a hole
  5. date — the fruit
  6. fine — high quality
  7. can — a tin
  8. race — a contest
  9. fine — all right
  10. board — to get on
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. pit — in a race
  13. rash — hasty
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. race — the arms race
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. can — to be able to
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. rash — a series
  20. race — humankind
  21. net — in sport
  22. can — a tin
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. board — a committee

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