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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — steady
  6. deal — to handle
  7. mark — a grade
  8. field — a subject
  9. mark — a trace
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. roll — a cake
  13. ball — a dance
  14. pit — in a race
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. roll — a list
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. ball — a great time
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. field — for sport
  21. field — farmland
  22. firm — decided
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. pit — a hole

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