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: fan · land · pit · pitcher · fall · coach · kick · season

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. kick — in football
  6. land — a country
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. fall — to drop
  10. land — ground
  11. fall — to drop
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. fall — the season
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. season — of the year
  22. pit — a hole
  23. land — to come down
  24. season — in sport

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