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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bank — of a river
  6. cue — a hint
  7. perch — the fish
  8. cue — for pool
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. land — ground
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cue — a signal
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. land — to come down
  16. bank — for money
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bank — for money
  19. rush — hurry
  20. deal — to handle
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rush — to hurry
  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