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: land · date · prune · club · rush · press · vault · object

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. land — to come down
  3. prune — to trim
  4. land — ground
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — hurry
  7. object — to protest
  8. press — to push
  9. object — a thing
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. vault — a safe
  12. prune — to trim
  13. club — for golf
  14. press — newspapers
  15. object — an aim
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. date — the fruit
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. press — a publisher
  21. land — a country
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for dancing
  24. prune — the fruit

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