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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. march — the month
  3. date — the fruit
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. march — music
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rash — hasty
  14. mine — for digging
  15. march — the month
  16. pound — a weight
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. chair — a leader
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. chair — to sit on

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