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 · bank · rest · season · snap · mug · calf · date

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. season — of the year
  3. bank — for money
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bank — for money
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mug — a cup
  9. pit — in a race
  10. snap — to click
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — in sport
  13. date — the fruit
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mug — a face
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rest — a break
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. rest — what's left
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. bank — of a river
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. date — on the calendar

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