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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. cap — a hat
  4. land — a country
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. mine — for digging
  7. cap — of ice
  8. rock — music
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bore — to drill
  14. roll — a cake
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bore — to tire
  18. roll — a list
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. cap — a lid
  22. land — to come down
  23. land — ground
  24. bore — gave birth

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