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: rock · mine · pound · jam · snap · pit · bay · pitcher

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. pit — a hole
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. mine — for digging
  17. pit — in a race
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. snap — to click
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. mine — belonging to me

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