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: mark · pit · bark · spell · mate · sharp · season · foot

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. bark — to shout
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. season — in sport
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — clever
  9. mark — a grade
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. pit — in a race
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — letters
  14. mate — a partner
  15. foot — a measure
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. mate — a friend
  18. spell — magic
  19. season — of the year
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bark — of a tree

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