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 116 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 · pass · court · plane · stick · squash · lean

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. court — of a king
  6. squash — to crush
  7. lean — thin
  8. squash — the sport
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. court — for sport
  13. plane — a tool
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pass — a permit
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. court — of law
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. lean — to bend
  23. snap — to click
  24. pass — to succeed

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