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: nail · roll · staff · bear · saw · mine · bay · land

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bear — the animal
  7. staff — a stick
  8. land — ground
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mine — for digging
  11. roll — a list
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. staff — employees
  14. land — to come down
  15. saw — the tool
  16. staff — employees
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. roll — a cake
  22. land — a country
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. saw — the tool

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