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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rule — government
  3. date — the fruit
  4. object — an aim
  5. key — in music
  6. mate — a friend
  7. object — to protest
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — the most important part
  10. track — to keep track
  11. press — newspapers
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a partner
  14. rule — a law
  15. press — to push
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. press — a publisher
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. track — a path
  23. object — a thing
  24. track — a song

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