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 had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. land — a country
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. drill — the tool
  6. land — to come down
  7. drill — army training
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. mine — for digging
  11. chip — to eat
  12. land — ground
  13. rush — hurry
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. staff — employees
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. staff — employees
  20. chip — for betting
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. staff — a stick
  23. date — the fruit
  24. rush — a thrill

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