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: pitcher · drill · pass · leaves · date · kick · cell · firm

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. pass — a permit
  4. drill — a practice
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. cell — a phone
  11. cell — in biology
  12. date — the fruit
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. firm — steady
  15. drill — army training
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. firm — a company
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. drill — the tool
  21. kick — in football
  22. firm — decided
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. leaves — lets stay

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