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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. tube — a container
  4. pass — a permit
  5. tube — the underground
  6. shower — rain
  7. shower — to wash
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. land — ground
  11. cue — a signal
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. land — to come down
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. cue — a hint
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. hide — to keep secret

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