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: bay · club · arm · pass · pit · cell · object · chair

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. club — a group
  3. cell — a phone
  4. club — for golf
  5. pit — a hole
  6. chair — a leader
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. object — to protest
  11. club — for dancing
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. object — an aim
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. object — a thing
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. cell — in biology

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