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 · toast · prune · stock · staff · net · safe · ball

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. net — after costs
  5. net — in sport
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. net — for catching
  8. staff — employees
  9. prune — to trim
  10. stock — shares
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. toast — bread
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. prune — to trim
  18. staff — a stick
  19. stock — goods
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — the fruit
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. date — on the calendar

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