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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. land — to come down
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. land — a country
  6. mate — a friend
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. stock — goods
  9. toast — bread
  10. tube — a container
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. tube — the underground
  13. stock — shares
  14. band — a ring
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. band — a music group
  17. kid — child
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. kid — to tease
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. land — ground
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a partner

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