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: bank · ground · lash · pass · kid · land · root · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. kid — to tease
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. ground — the earth
  5. root — of a word
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. ground — crushed
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. land — to come down
  10. pit — a hole
  11. ground — a position
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bank — for money
  16. root — of a plant
  17. land — ground
  18. root — the cause
  19. bank — of a river
  20. land — a country
  21. bank — for money
  22. kid — child
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. lash — an eyelash

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