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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. bank — for money
  3. mark — a grade
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. tear — to rip
  12. mark — a trace
  13. spell — letters
  14. tear — from crying
  15. spell — magic
  16. bank — for money
  17. tear — from crying
  18. game — wild animals
  19. ball — a great time
  20. game — a match
  21. spell — a short time
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bank — of a river
  24. mate — a friend

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