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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. ball — a great time
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. key — for a lock
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. date — the fruit
  10. row — to paddle
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. toast — bread
  18. row — a line
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. key — the most important part
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. ball — a dance
  23. rest — what's left
  24. key — in music

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