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: pound · bore · jam · can · fine · mine · chest · field

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bore — to tire
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. pound — a weight
  9. can — to be able to
  10. chest — a box
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bore — to drill
  13. fine — all right
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. chest — of your body
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. field — farmland
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. fine — high quality
  20. mine — for digging
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. field — a subject
  23. field — for sport
  24. mine — belonging to me

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