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: wake · row · firm · net · roll · rush · lie · date

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. firm — steady
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. net — for catching
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — a company
  7. roll — a list
  8. net — after costs
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. net — in sport
  11. row — to paddle
  12. roll — a cake
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. row — a line
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — a trail
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. rush — hurry

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