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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. content — the amount
  4. kid — child
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. kid — to tease
  10. content — happy
  11. bank — for money
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bank — for money
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. fork — in a road
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bank — of a river
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. pit — a hole
  24. mouse — the animal

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