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 · dip · nail · object · board · cue · pit · pass

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. dip — to sink
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. last — finally
  6. last — to go on
  7. pit — a hole
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. last — final
  10. board — to get on
  11. cue — a signal
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. object — to protest
  14. cue — a hint
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pass — a permit
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. object — a thing
  19. board — a committee
  20. pit — in a race
  21. object — an aim
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. cue — for pool

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