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: safe · rest · date · court · dip · wave · pound · trunk

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  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. date — the fruit
  2. rest — a break
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. dip — to sink
  6. rest — what's left
  7. court — of law
  8. court — for sport
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. rest — what's left
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. pound — a weight
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. court — of a king
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. dip — to dunk
  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