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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. bass — the fish
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. bank — for money
  8. bass — low music
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. land — ground
  13. land — to come down
  14. bank — of a river
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bank — for money
  18. ground — a position
  19. ground — crushed
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — the fruit
  22. charge — in control
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wax — in the ear

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