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's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. shower — to wash
  3. bore — to tire
  4. craft — boats
  5. bore — to drill
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. swing — in golf
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. game — a match
  11. cue — a hint
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. swing — to play on
  14. stem — to come from
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. shower — rain
  17. swing — music
  18. craft — a skill
  19. cue — for pool
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. game — wild animals
  23. cue — a signal
  24. stem — of a plant

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