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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. date — the fruit
  3. club — for golf
  4. game — wild animals
  5. content — happy
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. bank — of a river
  8. content — the amount
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bank — for money
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. foot — a measure
  13. bank — for money
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. drill — army training
  16. club — a group
  17. firm — decided
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. firm — a company
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. firm — steady
  22. game — a match
  23. drill — a practice
  24. club — for dancing

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