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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. content — happy
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. tube — a container
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. season — in sport
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. can — to be able to
  12. rash — hasty
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. season — of the year
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. rash — a series
  17. tube — the underground
  18. content — the amount
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. can — a tin
  23. pass — a permit
  24. can — a tin

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