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: track · rule · rest · drill · fine · date · bay · prune

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. drill — army training
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. track — to keep track
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. drill — a practice
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fine — all right
  13. rule — government
  14. track — a song
  15. rule — a law
  16. track — a path
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fine — high quality
  22. drill — the tool
  23. date — the fruit
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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