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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. land — ground
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. band — a ring
  10. press — newspapers
  11. branch — a division
  12. land — to come down
  13. content — the amount
  14. bore — to drill
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. band — a music group
  17. press — to push
  18. land — a country
  19. ball — a dance
  20. press — a publisher
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. content — happy
  24. bore — to tire

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