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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. march — music
  3. pop — to visit
  4. chip — for betting
  5. saw — the tool
  6. march — the month
  7. fine — all right
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pop — soda
  10. date — the fruit
  11. chip — to eat
  12. march — the month
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. fine — high quality
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. saw — the tool
  21. content — the amount
  22. can — a tin
  23. content — happy
  24. can — a tin

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