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: cell · date · staff · fine · bank · pop · file · swing

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. swing — music
  5. pop — to visit
  6. file — a tool
  7. bank — for money
  8. file — a document
  9. staff — employees
  10. bank — of a river
  11. fine — all right
  12. swing — in golf
  13. fine — high quality
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pop — soda
  16. date — the fruit
  17. cell — a phone
  18. file — a line of people
  19. pop — music
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. staff — employees
  22. cell — in biology
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bank — for money

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