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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. suit — in cards
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. current — electric
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. current — of water
  8. suit — to fit
  9. hand — help
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. hand — in cards
  12. chair — a leader
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. suit — clothes
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. pit — in a race
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. toast — bread
  22. current — happening now
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. leaves — lets stay

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