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: cabinet · pitch · key · spring · lean · pit · fall · straw

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. key — the most important part
  6. fall — the season
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. lean — to bend
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. spring — a coil
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. key — for a lock
  16. fall — to drop
  17. spring — the season
  18. key — in music
  19. fall — to drop
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. spring — of water
  24. pitch — a sports field

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