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 120 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: dip · deal · land · fine · bat · can · bear · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bear — the animal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. land — ground
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. dip — to sink
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. can — a tin
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bat — the animal
  16. land — a country
  17. fine — high quality
  18. can — a tin
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. fine — all right
  21. land — to come down
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. deal — an agreement

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