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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. land — ground
  3. rock — music
  4. field — a subject
  5. land — to come down
  6. can — a tin
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. club — a group
  9. chip — for betting
  10. club — for golf
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. field — for sport
  14. can — to be able to
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. chip — to eat
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. land — a country
  20. rock — a stone
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. field — farmland
  24. club — for dancing

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