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: bay · fan · sharp · lean · rule · chest · key · pit

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — a hole
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. key — the most important part
  10. sharp — clever
  11. chest — a box
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. lean — thin
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. rule — a law
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lean — to bend
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pit — in a race
  22. key — in music
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — of your body

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