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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. date — the fruit
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. vault — a safe
  12. squash — to crush
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. shower — rain
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. squash — the sport
  22. board — to get on
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. arm — part of the body

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