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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pit — in a race
  9. rule — government
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. staff — a stick
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. lie — to recline
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. staff — employees
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pit — a hole
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rest — a break
  22. staff — employees
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pound — for dogs

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