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: bowl · fine · present · date · fall · fork · snap · club

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. club — for dancing
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — the season
  8. fine — all right
  9. present — the time now
  10. fork — in a road
  11. date — the fruit
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. present — there
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. snap — to click
  16. club — a group
  17. present — a gift
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. club — for golf
  24. bowl — to roll

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