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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. shower — rain
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. land — to come down
  10. shower — to wash
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. object — an aim
  13. squash — to crush
  14. land — ground
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. object — a thing
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. object — to protest

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