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: fork · rush · lean · jam · pit · snap · wave · mark

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. pit — a hole
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. mark — a trace
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. pit — in a race
  12. mark — a grade
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. rush — hurry
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. snap — to click
  22. fork — in a road
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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