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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. fall — the season
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pop — to visit
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. ball — a dance
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. suit — to fit
  15. kid — to tease
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. fall — to drop
  19. kid — child
  20. pop — music
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pop — soda
  24. fall — to drop

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