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: last · rash · pop · wake · bore · cabinet · pit · dip

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. rash — hasty
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pop — soda
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. pit — a hole
  10. dip — to sink
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pop — to visit
  13. wake — a trail
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — to tire
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. last — to go on
  18. last — final
  19. pit — in a race
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. rash — a series
  22. pop — music
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. last — finally

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