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: pit · rash · pass · toast · bowl · stem · bark · mouse

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. toast — bread
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. pit — a hole
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. bark — to shout
  15. stem — to come from
  16. rash — hasty
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. rash — a series
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. mouse — the animal

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