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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. roll — a list
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. bulb — for light
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cold — an illness
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. season — of the year
  16. fork — in a road
  17. season — in sport
  18. date — the fruit
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. roll — a cake
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. cold — not warm

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