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 · march · chip · land · safe · bat · ruler · pit

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. chip — to eat
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. land — a country
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. march — the month
  12. pit — in a race
  13. march — music
  14. pit — a hole
  15. land — to come down
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bat — the animal
  19. chip — for betting
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. land — ground
  22. march — the month
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. safe — out of danger

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