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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. mug — a cup
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. craft — boats
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. land — to come down
  9. mug — to rob
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. scale — size or range
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — in cards
  14. staff — employees
  15. mug — a face
  16. scale — in music
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. land — ground
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. staff — a stick
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. craft — a skill
  24. staff — employees

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