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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. mug — a cup
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. date — the fruit
  8. scale — in music
  9. swing — to play on
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. swing — in golf
  13. swing — music
  14. pit — a hole
  15. stand — to bear
  16. wind — moving air
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. scale — size or range
  19. mug — a face
  20. pit — in a race
  21. mug — to rob
  22. wind — moving air
  23. dip — to sink
  24. date — on the calendar

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