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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. charge — electricity
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — a price
  7. spring — the season
  8. rest — a break
  9. shower — rain
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. spring — of water
  13. can — a tin
  14. plane — a tool
  15. can — to be able to
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. rest — what's left
  20. can — a tin
  21. date — the fruit
  22. shower — to wash
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. rest — what's left

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