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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bat — the animal
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. foot — a measure
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — completely
  19. rush — hurry
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. sharp — clever
  24. bulb — for light

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