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: tube · toast · mine · date · vault · stem · fine · coach

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. vault — a safe
  7. date — the fruit
  8. fine — all right
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. stem — to come from
  11. tube — the underground
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. tube — a container
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. fine — high quality
  20. toast — bread
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. stem — of a plant
  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