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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. can — a tin
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. charge — a price
  6. can — a tin
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. can — to be able to
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. charge — electricity
  14. staff — employees
  15. bore — to drill
  16. spring — the season
  17. spring — of water
  18. bore — to tire
  19. spring — a coil
  20. charge — in control
  21. deal — to handle
  22. staff — employees
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. staff — a stick

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