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: content · present · tube · suit · date · trunk · cabinet · rest

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. present — a gift
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — the underground
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. present — there
  8. suit — clothes
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. suit — to fit
  11. tube — a container
  12. suit — in cards
  13. content — the amount
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. rest — what's left
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. content — happy
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. present — the time now

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