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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — the fruit
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. face — to confront
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. saw — the tool
  13. face — to point toward
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pit — a hole
  17. squash — the sport
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. saw — the tool
  23. face — part of the head
  24. bark — to shout

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