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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. lie — to recline
  8. ground — the earth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. field — a subject
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. land — ground
  13. land — a country
  14. content — the amount
  15. ground — a position
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. ground — crushed
  18. field — for sport
  19. content — happy
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rock — a stone
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. land — to come down
  24. rock — music

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