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

Word bank: mate · fine · land · bulb · firm · drill · face · squash

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. face — to point toward
  4. land — to come down
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. land — ground
  7. squash — the sport
  8. mate — to breed
  9. squash — to crush
  10. bulb — for light
  11. firm — decided
  12. fine — all right
  13. firm — steady
  14. drill — a practice
  15. drill — the tool
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. drill — army training
  19. face — to confront
  20. face — part of the head
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — a partner
  23. firm — a company
  24. land — a country

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