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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. pit — a hole
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. chip — for betting
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pop — music
  8. last — final
  9. pit — in a race
  10. lie — to recline
  11. last — to go on
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. last — finally
  14. pop — soda
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. content — happy
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. content — the amount
  24. chip — to eat

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