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: saw · fan · snap · temple · staff · pass · pit · suit

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. suit — in cards
  3. pass — a permit
  4. saw — the tool
  5. staff — employees
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. snap — to click
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. suit — to fit
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. saw — the tool
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. staff — a stick
  18. suit — clothes
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. pit — a hole
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. staff — employees
  23. pit — in a race
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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