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 120 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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — ground
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. land — a country
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. hand — help
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. can — to be able to
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. ball — a great time
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. ball — a dance
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. hand — in cards
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. ball — a round shape

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