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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. fall — to drop
  3. date — the fruit
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. current — of water
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. pit — in a race
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. current — electric
  15. season — in sport
  16. current — happening now
  17. season — of the year
  18. mate — to breed
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. fall — the season
  21. mate — a friend
  22. fall — to drop
  23. mate — a partner
  24. tube — a container

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