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 116 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. can — to be able to
  3. land — to come down
  4. track — a path
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. band — a ring
  9. can — a tin
  10. track — a song
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. land — a country
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — all right
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. mate — a partner
  18. can — a tin
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. band — a music group
  21. mate — to breed
  22. land — ground
  23. track — to keep track
  24. stand — on your feet

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