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: fall · tube · date · content · deal · hide · track · land

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. content — the amount
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. track — a path
  8. track — to keep track
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. land — to come down
  11. date — the fruit
  12. fall — the season
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. land — ground
  15. tube — a container
  16. content — happy
  17. deal — to handle
  18. tube — the underground
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. land — a country
  21. track — a song
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. fall — to drop
  24. deal — a big deal

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