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: stand · land · pitcher · lash · pop · rush · staff · bay

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. land — to come down
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. stand — to bear
  7. pop — soda
  8. rush — hurry
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. pop — music
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. land — ground
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. staff — employees
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. staff — a stick
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. staff — employees
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. pop — to visit

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