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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. game — a match
  3. content — the amount
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. snap — to click
  6. rest — what's left
  7. charge — electricity
  8. pit — a hole
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. rest — what's left
  12. key — the most important part
  13. charge — in control
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. wax — to grow
  16. content — happy
  17. rest — a break
  18. game — wild animals
  19. charge — a price
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. key — in music
  23. key — for a lock
  24. wax — in the ear

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