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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — in a race
  4. wind — moving air
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. wind — moving air
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pit — a hole
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. mug — a cup
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. mug — a face
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. sharp — clever
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. season — of the year
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. vault — a safe
  23. mug — to rob
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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