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: coach · lash · face · rush · pit · roll · cap · bore

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bore — to tire
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. cap — a hat
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. pit — a hole
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. cap — of ice
  10. face — to point toward
  11. rush — hurry
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. roll — a list
  14. bore — to drill
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to confront
  22. roll — a cake
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. cap — a lid

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