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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. file — a tool
  4. bore — to drill
  5. press — newspapers
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. file — a document
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. chest — a box
  10. pit — a hole
  11. file — a line of people
  12. lie — to recline
  13. rush — hurry
  14. chest — of your body
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. press — a publisher
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. chest — of your body
  21. stock — shares
  22. press — to push
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. stock — goods

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