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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. tube — the underground
  3. mug — to rob
  4. pass — a permit
  5. tube — a container
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mug — a face
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. wind — moving air
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — an aim
  13. wind — moving air
  14. prune — to trim
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. date — the fruit
  19. object — to protest
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. date — on the calendar

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