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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. land — a country
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. land — to come down
  14. rock — music
  15. land — ground
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. rush — hurry
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rush — a thrill

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