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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. key — for a lock
  3. pit — in a race
  4. rush — hurry
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fall — the season
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pit — a hole
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. key — in music
  17. fall — to drop
  18. key — the most important part
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. foot — a measure
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. racket — for tennis

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