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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. cap — of ice
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. club — for golf
  9. date — the fruit
  10. deal — to handle
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — high quality
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. cap — a hat
  18. club — for dancing
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. club — a group
  22. cap — a lid
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — hurry

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