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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. current — electric
  4. cue — a signal
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — decided
  7. perch — the fish
  8. capital — a city
  9. current — happening now
  10. file — a tool
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. firm — steady
  13. current — of water
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. capital — money
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. file — a document
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. file — a line of people
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — for pool

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