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 · swing · rush · suit · lie · tube · stick · chest

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. rush — hurry
  5. lie — to recline
  6. suit — in cards
  7. swing — to play on
  8. tube — a container
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. pit — a hole
  12. swing — music
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. chest — of your body
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. tube — the underground
  19. swing — in golf
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. chest — of your body
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pit — in a race
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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