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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. fine — all right
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. firm — decided
  8. game — wild animals
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bore — to drill
  13. firm — steady
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. game — a match
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. bore — to tire
  24. firm — a company

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