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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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. vault — a safe
  4. fine — all right
  5. prune — to trim
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. rule — a law
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. object — a thing
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. object — to protest
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. object — an aim
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. date — the fruit
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. prune — to trim
  24. straw — dry grass

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