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: jam · club · date · bank · mark · pass · rule · mine

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rule — a law
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bank — for money
  5. rule — government
  6. date — the fruit
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. club — a group
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. club — for golf
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bank — of a river
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. mark — a grade
  16. club — for dancing
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mark — a trace
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. bank — for money

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