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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. board — to get on
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — a permit
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. deal — to handle
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bulb — for light
  17. prune — to trim
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. fork — in a road
  20. spell — letters
  21. prune — to trim
  22. spell — magic
  23. spell — a short time
  24. date — the fruit

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