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: field · rush · mate · season · plane · rule · firm · pit

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. plane — a tool
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — hurry
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mate — a friend
  7. pit — in a race
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. field — for sport
  10. mate — a partner
  11. pit — a hole
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — a company
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. field — a subject
  16. firm — steady
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — in sport
  19. season — of the year
  20. rule — a law
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. field — farmland

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