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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. band — a music group
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. content — the amount
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — all right
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. content — happy
  10. date — the fruit
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. rash — a series
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. toast — bread
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. fine — high quality
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. rash — hasty
  24. band — a ring

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