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: stand · season · rash · date · staff · present · band · arm

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rash — hasty
  3. date — the fruit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. staff — employees
  7. present — a gift
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. staff — employees
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. rash — a series
  13. present — the time now
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. present — there
  17. staff — a stick
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. stand — to bear
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — of the year
  22. band — a ring
  23. band — a music group
  24. season — to add flavour

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