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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. fall — the season
  3. ball — a great time
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. date — the fruit
  8. fall — to drop
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. fall — to drop
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. last — final
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. ball — a dance
  17. last — finally
  18. last — to go on
  19. board — to get on
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bark — to shout
  22. mate — a partner
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. board — a committee

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