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: band · date · toast · season · coach · root · wound · tear

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. root — the cause
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. wound — an injury
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. root — of a plant
  8. wound — an injury
  9. tear — from crying
  10. season — of the year
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. tear — to rip
  14. date — the fruit
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. season — in sport
  17. tear — from crying
  18. root — of a word
  19. band — a ring
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. toast — bread
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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