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: pass · perch · pit · mug · kid · cabinet · bat · last

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. kid — to tease
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pit — a hole
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. last — to go on
  11. perch — the fish
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pit — in a race
  16. mug — to rob
  17. last — final
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — a cup
  20. pass — a permit
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bat — the animal
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. pass — to spend time

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