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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. land — to come down
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. can — to be able to
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. land — a country
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. can — a tin
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. board — a committee
  19. mark — a trace
  20. deal — to handle
  21. mark — a grade
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. can — a tin

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