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: rock · spell · pass · pit · sharp · rush · perch · jam

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  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. rock — to move gently
  3. pass — a permit
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. spell — a short time
  7. rock — music
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. sharp — clever
  15. perch — the fish
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. spell — letters
  22. rush — hurry
  23. spell — magic
  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