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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. shower — to wash
  3. land — a country
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. rock — a stone
  6. land — to come down
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. stand — to bear
  9. deal — to handle
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. rock — music
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. land — ground
  18. shower — rain
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. jam — in traffic

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