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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. cap — of ice
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. race — humankind
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bat — the animal
  7. pop — soda
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. race — a contest
  11. cap — a lid
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pop — music
  14. date — the fruit
  15. race — the arms race
  16. pop — to visit
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. pass — a permit
  19. season — of the year
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. season — in sport
  22. cap — a hat
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. pass — to succeed

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