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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. land — a country
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. rash — a series
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. drill — a practice
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. rash — hasty
  12. drill — the tool
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. land — ground
  15. land — to come down
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. press — newspapers
  18. pit — a hole
  19. press — to push
  20. press — a publisher
  21. branch — a division
  22. drill — army training
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. pit — in a race

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