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 · pit · bear · safe · staff · bank · bat · pound

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pound — a weight
  7. staff — a stick
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bank — for money
  12. staff — employees
  13. pit — a hole
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. staff — employees
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. date — the fruit
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bank — for money
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bear — the animal
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bear — the animal

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