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 116 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 ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. kid — child
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pit — in a race
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. wound — an injury
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. band — a music group
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. pop — music
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. kid — to tease
  22. pop — soda
  23. lie — to recline
  24. band — a ring

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