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 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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. land — to come down
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ball — a great time
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. squash — to crush
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. land — ground
  15. ground — a position
  16. ball — a dance
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bank — for money
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. ground — crushed
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. squash — the sport

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