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: jam · spring · pit · mark · chest · hand · cabinet · prune

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. hand — in cards
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. chest — of your body
  7. prune — to trim
  8. spring — of water
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pit — in a race
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. chest — of your body
  15. mark — a grade
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. spring — the season
  19. pit — a hole
  20. hand — help
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a trace
  23. spring — a coil
  24. prune — the fruit

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