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 ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. content — the amount
  7. key — the most important part
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. branch — a division
  13. snap — to click
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. key — for a lock
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. content — happy
  19. key — in music
  20. rash — hasty
  21. board — a committee
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. rash — a series

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