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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. mark — a grade
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. club — for golf
  6. pit — in a race
  7. wound — an injury
  8. club — a group
  9. mark — a trace
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — to sink
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bore — to tire
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bore — to drill
  19. club — for dancing
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. can — a tin
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bore — gave birth

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