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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. track — a path
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. toast — bread
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. land — to come down
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. chest — of your body
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bore — to drill
  13. track — to keep track
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. date — the fruit
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — a box
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. land — a country
  22. bore — to tire
  23. land — ground
  24. track — a song

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