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: board · roll · pit · ground · bat · stand · leaves · pass

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. roll — a cake
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. ground — a position
  6. board — a committee
  7. bat — the animal
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. ground — crushed
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. roll — a list
  15. board — to get on
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. ground — the earth
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — to bear

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