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: key · pit · pass · hide · season · foot · ground · ball

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. key — in music
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. ground — the earth
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. season — of the year
  11. ball — a dance
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. ground — a position
  15. pit — a hole
  16. season — in sport
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — a measure
  19. key — the most important part
  20. ground — crushed
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pass — a permit
  24. hide — to keep secret

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