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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — high quality
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. staff — employees
  6. bank — for money
  7. swing — music
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. date — the fruit
  10. bank — of a river
  11. staff — employees
  12. swing — in golf
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bank — for money
  15. land — ground
  16. track — a path
  17. track — to keep track
  18. land — to come down
  19. swing — to play on
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. track — a song
  23. perch — the fish
  24. fine — a penalty

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