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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. object — to protest
  4. object — an aim
  5. mug — to rob
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. fork — in a road
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. object — a thing
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. hand — help
  16. mug — a face
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. hand — in cards
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. mug — a cup

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