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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. land — a country
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — to visit
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. stand — to bear
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. land — to come down
  10. hand — in cards
  11. pit — in a race
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. hand — help
  14. spell — magic
  15. staff — a stick
  16. staff — employees
  17. land — ground
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. spell — a short time
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. snap — to click
  22. pop — music
  23. staff — employees
  24. spell — letters

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