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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bear — the animal
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pitch — completely
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. last — finally
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. tube — a container
  13. clip — a video
  14. clip — for paper
  15. pit — a hole
  16. clip — to cut
  17. last — final
  18. last — to go on
  19. tube — the underground
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. drill — army training

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