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 120 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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — to protest
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. can — a tin
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. can — a tin
  8. land — ground
  9. firm — decided
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bass — low music
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mine — for digging
  14. land — to come down
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — the fish
  20. firm — a company
  21. object — a thing
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. land — a country
  24. firm — steady

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