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: jam · pit · ground · perch · mine · bank · calf · bulb

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. ground — a position
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bank — for money
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bank — for money
  14. bulb — for light
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. pit — in a race
  17. ground — the earth
  18. mine — for digging
  19. perch — the fish
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. ground — crushed
  22. bank — of a river
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. perch — for a bird

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