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: craft · wound · mug · date · key · pitcher · charge · racket

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. mug — to rob
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. mug — a cup
  6. key — in music
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. charge — electricity
  9. craft — a skill
  10. date — the fruit
  11. key — for a lock
  12. wound — an injury
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. craft — boats
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. charge — a price
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. charge — in control
  21. mug — a face
  22. key — the most important part
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. wound — an injury

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