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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. land — a country
  3. rest — what's left
  4. stem — to come from
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. land — to come down
  7. can — a tin
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. land — ground
  11. can — a tin
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. rest — a break
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stand — to bear
  21. game — wild animals
  22. rock — music
  23. can — to be able to
  24. rest — what's left

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