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 · rush · perch · deal · pop · jam · staff · suit

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pit — in a race
  5. perch — the fish
  6. pop — music
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. pop — to visit
  12. staff — a stick
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. staff — employees
  19. pop — soda
  20. suit — in cards
  21. deal — to handle
  22. staff — employees
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. perch — for a bird

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