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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pit — in a race
  4. sharp — clever
  5. pass — a permit
  6. date — the fruit
  7. dip — to sink
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. land — ground
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. spell — letters
  14. land — to come down
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. fork — in a road
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. spell — magic
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. pit — a hole
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. spell — a short time
  24. land — a country

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