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: suit · firm · fan · row · date · season · bound · last

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bound — obliged
  4. last — final
  5. row — to paddle
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — a company
  8. suit — in cards
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. season — of the year
  11. suit — to fit
  12. firm — decided
  13. bound — certain
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. last — finally
  16. bound — tied together
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. date — the fruit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. last — to go on
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. season — in sport
  24. fan — a supporter

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