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 · pass · date · kick · shower · pitch · fork · bowl

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. fork — in a road
  3. date — the fruit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. shower — to wash
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. kick — in football
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. shower — rain
  24. fork — a garden tool

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