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 · ruler · rock · rest · vault · firm · hide · clip

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. firm — a company
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pit — in a race
  6. clip — for paper
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. clip — a video
  9. firm — decided
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rest — a break
  14. clip — to cut
  15. pit — a hole
  16. firm — steady
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. rock — music
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — what's left
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. vault — a safe
  24. rock — a 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