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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. face — to confront
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. land — a country
  6. land — to come down
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — low music
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. face — to point toward
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. roll — a list
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bass — the fish
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. face — part of the head
  24. roll — a cake

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