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: wave · stick · rock · dip · pit · bound · kid · suit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rock — a stone
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. dip — to sink
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. kid — to tease
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bound — obliged
  14. pit — a hole
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. kid — child
  18. bound — certain
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. suit — clothes
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. rock — music
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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