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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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. spring — the season
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. row — a line
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. craft — a skill
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. row — to paddle
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. staff — a stick
  15. spring — of water
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. craft — boats
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. spring — a coil
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — employees

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