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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. hand — in cards
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. present — the time now
  7. wake — a trail
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bore — to drill
  11. present — there
  12. court — for sport
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. chip — to eat
  15. hand — help
  16. court — of law
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bore — to tire
  20. present — a gift
  21. court — of a king
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. stand — to bear

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