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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bound — obliged
  7. fall — the season
  8. ball — a dance
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. ball — a great time
  11. date — the fruit
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. bore — to drill
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. roll — a cake
  17. bore — to tire
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. bound — tied together
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. roll — a list
  23. bound — certain
  24. racket — for tennis

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