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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. cue — a signal
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pit — a hole
  8. mine — for digging
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. cue — for pool
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. cue — a hint
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. foot — a measure
  24. foot — part of the body

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