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: saw · ball · date · stock · court · temple · safe · fall

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. fall — to drop
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. saw — the tool
  6. fall — to drop
  7. ball — a dance
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. court — for sport
  11. court — of law
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. stock — goods
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — shares
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. fall — the season
  20. saw — the tool
  21. court — of a king
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. ball — a great time
  24. temple — side of the head

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