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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. dip — to sink
  3. rest — what's left
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. wind — moving air
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. rest — what's left
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. branch — a division
  13. last — to go on
  14. last — final
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. kick — in football
  17. last — finally
  18. rest — a break
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. wind — moving air
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. safe — out of danger

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