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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. land — a country
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. land — to come down
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. band — a ring
  8. chip — to eat
  9. can — to be able to
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. can — a tin
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. season — of the year
  14. land — ground
  15. season — in sport
  16. band — a music group
  17. kid — to tease
  18. can — a tin
  19. kid — child
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. date — the fruit
  24. chip — for betting

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