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: pit · key · pop · hide · court · track · mate · hand

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mate — a friend
  3. hand — in cards
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mate — to breed
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pit — in a race
  10. track — a path
  11. track — a song
  12. court — of a king
  13. pit — a hole
  14. key — in music
  15. court — for sport
  16. pop — soda
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — the most important part
  19. track — to keep track
  20. court — of law
  21. mate — a partner
  22. pop — music
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. hand — help

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