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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. staff — employees
  3. plane — a tool
  4. pit — in a race
  5. swing — music
  6. court — of law
  7. staff — employees
  8. swing — to play on
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. content — happy
  11. fork — in a road
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. court — for sport
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. pit — a hole
  16. court — of a king
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. staff — a stick
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. content — the amount
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. swing — in golf

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