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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. ball — a dance
  3. date — the fruit
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. swing — in golf
  8. staff — employees
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. sharp — clever
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. staff — a stick
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. swing — to play on
  17. ball — a great time
  18. staff — employees
  19. swing — music
  20. stock — shares
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. stock — goods
  23. chair — a leader
  24. lash — to lash out

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