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'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. land — to come down
  3. craft — a skill
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. mate — a partner
  6. cap — a hat
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. mug — a cup
  9. tear — to rip
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cap — of ice
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mate — to breed
  14. tear — from crying
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. tear — from crying
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mug — to rob
  19. cap — a lid
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. craft — boats
  22. mug — a face
  23. land — a country
  24. mate — a friend

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