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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. sharp — clever
  4. drill — army training
  5. stand — to bear
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. scale — in music
  11. field — farmland
  12. scale — size or range
  13. stem — to come from
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. field — a subject
  16. field — for sport
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. drill — the tool
  20. drill — a practice
  21. branch — a division
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. date — the fruit

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