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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. pop — soda
  3. mate — to breed
  4. suit — in cards
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. march — music
  7. date — the fruit
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pop — to visit
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. suit — to fit
  13. mate — a friend
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. suit — clothes
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. mate — a partner
  18. capital — a city
  19. march — the month
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. pop — music
  22. foot — a measure
  23. capital — money
  24. march — the month

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