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: present · cell · chest · pass · mouse · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pass — a permit
  3. chest — of your body
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pit — a hole
  6. present — there
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. chest — of your body
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. cell — a phone
  12. present — a gift
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. cell — in biology
  15. present — the time now
  16. chest — a box
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. pass — to spend time

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