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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pop — soda
  4. date — the fruit
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. saw — the tool
  7. face — to point toward
  8. ball — a dance
  9. saw — the tool
  10. ball — a great time
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pop — music
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to confront

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