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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. land — ground
  5. land — a country
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bear — the animal
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. rock — music
  10. land — to come down
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. stock — shares
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. stock — goods
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bear — the animal
  21. foot — a measure
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rock — to move gently

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