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: land · track · jam · object · mate · toast · dip · bank

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. mate — a friend
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bank — for money
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — a thing
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bank — for money
  11. track — a song
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. object — an aim
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. land — a country
  17. land — ground
  18. mate — to breed
  19. track — a path
  20. toast — bread
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bank — of a river
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. land — to come down

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