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 120 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. foot — a measure
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. pitch — completely
  7. row — to paddle
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. land — to come down
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. row — a line
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. land — ground
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. land — a country

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