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 116 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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. ground — a position
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a hole
  6. mine — for digging
  7. ground — crushed
  8. staff — a stick
  9. ground — the earth
  10. staff — employees
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — to bear
  13. face — to point toward
  14. shower — rain
  15. face — to confront
  16. shower — to wash
  17. land — a country
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. land — ground
  22. staff — employees
  23. face — part of the head
  24. land — to come down

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