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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. land — a country
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. band — a music group
  5. land — ground
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. kick — in football
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. squash — the sport
  14. date — the fruit
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. land — to come down
  17. band — a ring
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — to crush
  20. kid — to tease
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kid — child

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