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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: jam · pit · wake · bear · patient · hide · land · nail

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pit — a hole
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. land — ground
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. land — to come down
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pit — in a race
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. land — a country
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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