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 · object · stick · jam · kid · pass · staff · rule

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. staff — employees
  6. pass — a permit
  7. staff — employees
  8. kid — child
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — to protest
  12. staff — a stick
  13. rule — a law
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pit — in a race
  16. object — a thing
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. kid — to tease
  23. rule — government
  24. pit — a hole

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