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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. date — the fruit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. last — final
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. press — newspapers
  9. last — to go on
  10. season — in sport
  11. rush — hurry
  12. prune — to trim
  13. last — finally
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. press — a publisher
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. press — to push
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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