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: bowl · mark · wake · jam · cell · mine · ruler · bear

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. cell — in biology
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mine — for digging
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bear — the animal
  18. cell — a phone
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. wake — a trail
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. mine — an explosive

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