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 · snap · scale · arm · lean · fine · date · stick

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. pit — a hole
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. fine — all right
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pit — in a race
  8. lean — to bend
  9. date — the fruit
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. lean — thin
  14. scale — in music
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. scale — size or range
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. fine — high quality

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