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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. date — the fruit
  5. bass — low music
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. staff — employees
  11. bear — the animal
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. staff — a stick
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bat — the animal
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — to breed
  21. track — a path
  22. staff — employees
  23. track — a song
  24. track — to keep track

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