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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — the fruit
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. swing — in golf
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. court — of a king
  8. shower — rain
  9. swing — music
  10. stock — goods
  11. swing — to play on
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stock — shares
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. shower — to wash
  16. court — of law
  17. court — for sport
  18. board — a committee
  19. lie — to recline
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. board — to get on
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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