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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. march — the month
  3. roll — a list
  4. date — the fruit
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. prune — to trim
  8. march — the month
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. prune — to trim
  12. roll — a cake
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. sharp — clever
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a match
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. march — music
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. foot — a measure

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