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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. date — the fruit
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. pop — music
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. board — a committee
  7. kid — child
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. present — there
  11. kid — to tease
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rush — hurry
  14. pop — soda
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. staff — employees
  18. present — a gift
  19. staff — employees
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. board — to get on
  22. pop — to visit
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. present — the time now

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