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 settled on a ________________?
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. chest — a box
  3. mark — a grade
  4. field — farmland
  5. field — for sport
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. pass — a permit
  11. snap — to click
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pit — a hole
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. date — the fruit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — of your body
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. field — a subject
  24. mark — a trace

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