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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bore — to tire
  3. land — a country
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. ground — the earth
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. ground — crushed
  10. bank — for money
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. wound — an injury
  18. ground — a position
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bore — to drill
  21. land — ground
  22. land — to come down
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. wound — an injury

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