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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. rock — music
  3. date — the fruit
  4. present — a gift
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. spring — the season
  8. ball — a great time
  9. rock — a stone
  10. present — the time now
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — part of the head
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. face — to point toward
  20. present — there
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. suit — to fit
  23. spring — of water
  24. ball — a dance

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