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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. drill — a practice
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. rash — a series
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — in music
  15. drill — army training
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. rash — hasty
  19. plane — a tool
  20. roll — a cake
  21. drill — the tool
  22. roll — a list
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bay — a horse colour

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