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: sharp · mark · pit · pop · object · bear · bowl · club

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. pop — music
  6. sharp — clever
  7. object — a thing
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. pop — soda
  12. pit — a hole
  13. club — for dancing
  14. club — a group
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. pop — to visit
  18. object — an aim
  19. club — for golf
  20. bear — the animal
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — a trace
  24. object — to protest

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