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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. row — a line
  3. charge — in control
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. net — for catching
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. deal — to handle
  9. net — in sport
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. charge — a price
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. row — to paddle
  15. pit — in a race
  16. date — the fruit
  17. ball — a great time
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pit — a hole
  20. ball — a dance
  21. net — after costs
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. charge — electricity
  24. deal — an agreement

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