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 120 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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bank — for money
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bank — for money
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bank — of a river
  10. pop — soda
  11. march — the month
  12. pit — in a race
  13. march — the month
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a partner
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — music
  23. march — music
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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