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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: date · racket · cap · present · wake · mug

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mug — a cup
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. cap — of ice
  6. present — the time now
  7. wake — a trail
  8. mug — a face
  9. cap — a lid
  10. present — a gift
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. cap — a hat
  15. present — there
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. date — the fruit
  18. mug — to rob

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