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: jam · mate · land · fan · fine · race · pit · pop

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. mate — a friend
  3. pop — soda
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pit — in a race
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. land — a country
  10. pit — a hole
  11. land — to come down
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pop — music
  17. mate — a partner
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pop — to visit
  20. race — the arms race
  21. race — humankind
  22. mate — to breed
  23. land — ground
  24. fine — all right

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