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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. chair — a leader
  3. land — a country
  4. mate — a friend
  5. land — to come down
  6. ground — crushed
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mark — a grade
  9. land — ground
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. mark — a trace
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — there
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. date — the fruit
  20. mate — to breed
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. present — a gift
  24. ground — a position

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