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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. can — to be able to
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. pit — a hole
  11. charge — electricity
  12. can — a tin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. charge — in control
  16. pit — in a race
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. can — a tin
  19. date — the fruit
  20. mark — a trace
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. charge — a price
  23. dip — to sink
  24. stem — to come from

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