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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. land — to come down
  4. wake — a trail
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — shares
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — a publisher
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bear — the animal
  13. press — to push
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. land — a country
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. land — ground
  23. bear — the animal
  24. tube — the underground

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