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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. pit — a hole
  3. rock — a stone
  4. pit — in a race
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. suit — to fit
  8. wind — moving air
  9. rest — a break
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. wind — moving air
  13. snap — to click
  14. rest — what's left
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. rock — music
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. shower — rain
  23. suit — in cards
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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