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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. club — a group
  3. date — the fruit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. race — the arms race
  6. race — humankind
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. game — a match
  9. race — a contest
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mug — to rob
  13. club — for golf
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mug — a cup
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. club — for dancing
  18. mug — a face
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. patient — a sick person

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