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: lash · pit · hand · march · ruler · leaves · pass · bowl

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. march — music
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pit — in a race
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. pit — a hole
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. hand — in cards
  19. march — the month
  20. march — the month
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. hand — help

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