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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. net — after costs
  5. row — a line
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. pop — to visit
  9. bore — to drill
  10. pit — a hole
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bore — to tire
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. pop — music
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. row — to paddle
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — for catching
  24. pit — in a race

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