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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. track — a song
  4. net — in sport
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. track — to keep track
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — to sink
  10. track — a path
  11. roll — a list
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. net — for catching
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. mark — a grade
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. mark — a trace
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a leader
  22. roll — a cake
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. net — after costs

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