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: last · pit · trunk · hand · firm · jam · rock · board

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. hand — help
  5. rock — music
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. firm — a company
  10. last — final
  11. firm — decided
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. pit — a hole
  14. board — to get on
  15. last — to go on
  16. last — finally
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. firm — steady
  20. board — a committee
  21. rock — a stone
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. pit — in a race

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