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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. game — a match
  3. current — happening now
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pit — a hole
  8. current — of water
  9. fine — all right
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. stock — shares
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bore — to tire
  15. current — electric
  16. bore — to drill
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. stock — goods
  21. prune — to trim
  22. fine — high quality
  23. game — wild animals
  24. pit — in a race

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