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: jam · spring · chip · date · field · toast · racket · present

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. field — for sport
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. field — farmland
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. toast — bread
  11. chip — for betting
  12. field — a subject
  13. spring — of water
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. present — a gift
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — the season
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. chip — to eat
  20. present — there
  21. date — the fruit
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. present — the time now
  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