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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. charge — a price
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. charge — in control
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. cue — for pool
  15. march — the month
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. charge — electricity
  19. march — music
  20. cue — a signal
  21. date — the fruit
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. march — the month
  24. cue — a hint

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