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 settled on a ________________?
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. key — the most important part
  4. pit — a hole
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bound — certain
  7. chest — a box
  8. bound — obliged
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. key — for a lock
  12. chest — of your body
  13. bound — tied together
  14. date — the fruit
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. chest — of your body
  18. key — in music
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. lean — thin
  23. pit — in a race
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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