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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. field — for sport
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. field — a subject
  11. land — a country
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. land — to come down
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. land — ground
  16. mine — for digging
  17. key — the most important part
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. key — in music
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. field — farmland
  23. date — the fruit
  24. key — for a lock

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