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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. date — the fruit
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. spell — magic
  7. land — a country
  8. land — to come down
  9. toast — bread
  10. season — of the year
  11. spell — letters
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. suit — in cards
  19. sharp — clever
  20. spell — a short time
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. kick — in football
  23. season — in sport
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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