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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — high quality
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. fine — all right
  5. season — of the year
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. date — the fruit
  11. squash — the sport
  12. season — in sport
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. squash — to crush
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bark — to shout
  17. press — newspapers
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. row — a line
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. press — a publisher
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. press — to push

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