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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. land — ground
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mate — a friend
  5. land — a country
  6. land — to come down
  7. deal — to handle
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a lid
  10. current — electric
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. cap — a hat
  13. club — for golf
  14. current — of water
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. club — for dancing
  17. mate — to breed
  18. club — a group
  19. mate — a partner
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. current — happening now
  23. date — the fruit
  24. date — on the calendar

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