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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pop — music
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. land — ground
  7. pop — to visit
  8. rest — what's left
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. land — a country
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. land — to come down
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. date — the fruit
  20. rest — what's left
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pop — soda
  24. rest — a break

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