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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. stock — goods
  4. ground — a position
  5. plane — a tool
  6. land — to come down
  7. land — a country
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mate — a friend
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. ground — the earth
  12. mate — to breed
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. land — ground
  16. stock — shares
  17. ground — crushed
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mug — a face
  20. snap — to click
  21. tube — the underground
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — in a tire

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