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 116 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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. firm — decided
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pit — in a race
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bass — low music
  11. can — to be able to
  12. ground — the earth
  13. firm — a company
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. can — a tin
  17. firm — steady
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. can — a tin
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. ground — a position
  22. bass — the fish
  23. wake — a trail
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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