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 · last · prune · march · ball · stand · rest · sharp

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. pit — in a race
  7. march — music
  8. march — the month
  9. prune — to trim
  10. last — to go on
  11. stand — to bear
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. rest — a break
  15. pit — a hole
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. sharp — clever
  18. last — finally
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. march — the month
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ball — a dance
  24. last — final

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