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: perch · can · file · spring · date · last · spell · jam

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. spell — magic
  3. date — the fruit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. can — a tin
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. last — to go on
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. last — finally
  10. spring — the season
  11. spring — of water
  12. file — a line of people
  13. last — final
  14. spell — letters
  15. perch — the fish
  16. spell — a short time
  17. can — to be able to
  18. spring — a coil
  19. file — a tool
  20. file — a document
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. can — a tin
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. jam — a tight spot

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