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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. land — a country
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. toast — bread
  7. land — to come down
  8. last — to go on
  9. chip — for betting
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. bore — to drill
  14. last — final
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bore — to tire
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — a hole
  19. land — ground
  20. row — a line
  21. last — finally
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bore — gave birth

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