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 124 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — a hole
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. pit — in a race
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. face — to confront
  7. snap — to click
  8. bass — the fish
  9. drill — the tool
  10. current — happening now
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. drill — army training
  13. current — electric
  14. bass — low music
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. current — of water
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. face — to point toward
  23. drill — a practice
  24. face — part of the head

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