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: date · clip · toast · pop · straw · object · fine · land

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. object — a thing
  6. clip — to cut
  7. land — ground
  8. clip — a video
  9. toast — bread
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. pop — music
  13. land — a country
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. clip — for paper
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — to visit
  18. fine — high quality
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. object — to protest
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. object — an aim
  24. fine — all right

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