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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. rock — music
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bank — for money
  8. rock — a stone
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. bank — of a river
  14. pit — in a race
  15. spell — a short time
  16. last — to go on
  17. spell — letters
  18. bank — for money
  19. spell — magic
  20. rest — a break
  21. last — final
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. rest — what's left
  24. last — finally

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