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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. season — of the year
  4. kid — child
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. land — to come down
  7. present — the time now
  8. kid — to tease
  9. pit — in a race
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. mug — a cup
  13. key — in music
  14. present — a gift
  15. key — for a lock
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. present — there
  19. mug — a face
  20. land — ground
  21. land — a country
  22. key — the most important part
  23. season — in sport
  24. fan — a supporter

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