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: fork · coach · fall · bay · date · deal · sharp · pass

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fork — in a road
  5. pass — a permit
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. fall — the season
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. deal — to handle
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. sharp — clever
  17. fall — to drop
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. coach — a trainer

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