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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. wake — a trail
  3. current — of water
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. fine — all right
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. pit — in a race
  8. can — to be able to
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. spring — a coil
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. current — happening now
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — a hat
  17. pit — a hole
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. spring — of water
  21. fine — high quality
  22. current — electric
  23. spring — the season
  24. bowl — a dish

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