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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a hole
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. pop — soda
  9. toast — bread
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. tear — to rip
  14. pop — music
  15. net — for catching
  16. tear — from crying
  17. net — after costs
  18. tear — from crying
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. bear — the animal
  22. sharp — clever
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. pop — to visit

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