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: craft · club · mate · cell · bowl · tube · mug · date

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. mate — a friend
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. cell — in biology
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — a face
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. mate — to breed
  13. club — for golf
  14. tube — the underground
  15. craft — boats
  16. club — a group
  17. mate — a partner
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. mug — to rob
  21. craft — a skill
  22. club — for dancing
  23. cell — a phone
  24. bowl — a football final

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