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 ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — a hole
  3. land — a country
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to confront
  6. wind — moving air
  7. pit — in a race
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. pass — a permit
  15. land — to come down
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. wind — moving air
  20. land — ground
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. face — to point toward
  24. wind — to turn a key

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