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: safe · rash · pit · scale · pop · chip · spring · clip

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. clip — a video
  6. pit — in a race
  7. spring — of water
  8. spring — the season
  9. rash — hasty
  10. chip — for betting
  11. spring — a coil
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pop — music
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. pop — to visit
  16. scale — size or range
  17. clip — for paper
  18. pit — a hole
  19. clip — to cut
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. scale — in music
  23. pop — soda
  24. rash — a series

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