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 116 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. ball — a great time
  3. pit — in a race
  4. lean — thin
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. dip — to sink
  7. charge — a price
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. charge — electricity
  10. swing — to play on
  11. charge — in control
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. ball — a dance
  14. craft — boats
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. craft — a skill
  18. kid — child
  19. lean — to bend
  20. swing — in golf
  21. kid — to tease
  22. swing — music
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. ball — a round shape

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