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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. pit — in a race
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. firm — decided
  7. vault — a safe
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. sharp — clever
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. firm — steady
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. pit — a hole
  18. firm — a company
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. dip — to sink
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. dip — a sauce

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