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 120 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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  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. chest — of your body
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. staff — employees
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pit — a hole
  8. staff — a stick
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for golf
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — all right
  15. chest — of your body
  16. saw — the tool
  17. staff — employees
  18. saw — the tool
  19. prune — to trim
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. prune — to trim
  23. chest — a box
  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