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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. mate — a partner
  4. land — to come down
  5. date — the fruit
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. current — electric
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. land — a country
  14. current — happening now
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. capital — a city
  17. land — ground
  18. fine — all right
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. fine — high quality
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mate — a friend
  24. current — of water

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