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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. kid — to tease
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. land — ground
  6. pit — in a race
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. can — a tin
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. kid — child
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. can — to be able to
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. toast — bread
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. land — a country
  21. pit — a hole
  22. can — a tin
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. toast — the most admired

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