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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · tear · racket · kick · stand · roll

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. tear — from crying
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. tear — from crying
  5. kick — in football
  6. roll — a list
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. pit — in a race
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. roll — a cake
  13. stand — to bear
  14. tear — to rip
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. racket — a loud noise

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