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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. pit — a hole
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. club — a group
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. last — finally
  7. rush — hurry
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. last — to go on
  10. bulb — for light
  11. club — for golf
  12. pit — in a race
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. club — for dancing
  16. mark — a trace
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bulb — for light
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. mark — a grade
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. last — final

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