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 · season · straw · pitcher · mark · ball · bore · wind

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. ball — a great time
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. wind — moving air
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. season — of the year
  11. mark — a grade
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. mark — a trace
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bore — to tire
  18. pit — a hole
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. season — in sport
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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