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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. file — a line of people
  6. file — a tool
  7. cap — a lid
  8. file — a document
  9. cap — of ice
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. key — for a lock
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pop — to visit
  14. key — in music
  15. snap — to click
  16. key — the most important part
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — soda
  21. vault — a safe
  22. cap — a hat
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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