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: tear · last · pit · bay · rush · stem · jam · leaves

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. tear — to rip
  6. tear — from crying
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. last — to go on
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. stem — to come from
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. last — final
  14. rush — hurry
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. pit — a hole
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. last — finally
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. tear — from crying
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. rush — to hurry

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