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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. rock — a stone
  3. clip — a video
  4. clip — for paper
  5. clip — to cut
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. rock — music
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. sharp — clever
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — in a race
  24. current — electric

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