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 · pass · scale · bark · net · fan · deal · jam

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. net — for catching
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. deal — to handle
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. net — in sport
  10. net — after costs
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. pass — a permit
  13. scale — in music
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. date — the fruit
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. bark — to shout

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