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: kid · toast · pit · court · pop · lie · plane · rush

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. plane — a tool
  3. court — of a king
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pop — music
  7. pit — in a race
  8. kid — to tease
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pop — soda
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. lie — to recline
  14. court — of law
  15. kid — child
  16. pop — to visit
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. court — for sport
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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