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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. bat — the animal
  3. land — a country
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. band — a ring
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. land — to come down
  11. swing — to play on
  12. swing — music
  13. land — ground
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. band — a music group
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. band — a rubber band

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