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: spring · can · pass · bat · lean · chip · rest · date

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bat — the animal
  5. spring — of water
  6. spring — a coil
  7. rest — what's left
  8. can — to be able to
  9. rest — a break
  10. chip — to eat
  11. can — a tin
  12. date — the fruit
  13. pass — a permit
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. can — a tin
  17. rest — what's left
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to bend
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. spring — the season
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — to spend time

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