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: object · cold · rash · ball · fan · safe · rock · date

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rash — hasty
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. object — an aim
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — a series
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. date — the fruit
  10. rock — music
  11. ball — a dance
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. ball — a great time
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — to protest
  19. cold — not warm
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cold — an illness

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