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: mine · scale · leaves · land · jam · ball · lie · mate

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. land — a country
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. land — ground
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mine — for digging
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mate — a friend
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. scale — in music
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. mate — to breed
  23. scale — size or range
  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