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: cue · date · bank · season · fan · rest · tube · mug

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bank — for money
  3. rest — what's left
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. cue — a signal
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. cue — a hint
  8. season — in sport
  9. mug — a face
  10. tube — the underground
  11. season — of the year
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rest — what's left
  14. tube — a container
  15. mug — a cup
  16. rest — a break
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bank — for money
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bank — of a river
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. cue — for pool
  24. date — the fruit

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