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: pop · foot · mine · season · lean · pit · coach · jam

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. pop — soda
  10. lean — thin
  11. foot — a measure
  12. pop — to visit
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. season — in sport
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. lean — to bend
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pop — music
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. pit — in a race
  24. season — of the year

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