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 120 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: pitcher · pit · fall · kick · safe · bass · temple · lash

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. pit — a hole
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bass — low music
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. fall — the season
  9. kick — in football
  10. bass — the fish
  11. pit — in a race
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. fall — to drop

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