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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a cup
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. mate — a partner
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. squash — the sport
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. squash — to crush
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mug — a face
  17. game — a match
  18. net — after costs
  19. mate — to breed
  20. net — in sport
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. net — for catching
  23. game — wild animals
  24. date — on the calendar

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