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: fork · clip · pit · date · temple · rush · scale · dip

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. scale — in music
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — in a race
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. clip — to cut
  9. clip — a video
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. dip — to sink
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. scale — size or range
  14. fork — in a road
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. rush — hurry
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. date — the fruit
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pit — a hole
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. fork — to eat with

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