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: pop · pitcher · present · date · club · march · mate · fine

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. march — music
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. date — the fruit
  5. club — for dancing
  6. march — the month
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a partner
  9. present — a gift
  10. mate — a friend
  11. present — the time now
  12. pop — to visit
  13. club — for golf
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. march — the month
  17. club — a group
  18. present — there
  19. pop — music
  20. fine — high quality
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. fine — all right
  24. pop — soda

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