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: rock · roll · current · straw · pass · ground · season · pit

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. pit — in a race
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — a stone
  8. current — electric
  9. roll — a cake
  10. current — of water
  11. ground — crushed
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. roll — a list
  15. current — happening now
  16. ground — a position
  17. ground — the earth
  18. season — of the year
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. season — in sport
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. pit — a hole

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