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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. cap — of ice
  5. bank — for money
  6. hand — in cards
  7. can — a tin
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. pit — a hole
  11. land — a country
  12. can — to be able to
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bass — the fish
  16. land — to come down
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pit — in a race
  19. land — ground
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — a hat
  24. can — a tin

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