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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. cap — a hat
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. ball — a dance
  5. cap — a lid
  6. row — a line
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. suit — to fit
  10. mug — a face
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. suit — in cards
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. cap — of ice
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — hurry
  17. date — the fruit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. mug — to rob
  20. ball — a great time
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mug — a cup
  23. row — to paddle
  24. suit — clothes

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