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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. fall — the season
  4. content — happy
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. row — a line
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. pit — in a race
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. row — to paddle
  17. content — the amount
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. pit — a hole
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. fall — to drop

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