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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. face — part of the head
  3. content — the amount
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. drill — a practice
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. drill — the tool
  10. kick — in football
  11. content — happy
  12. staff — employees
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. face — to confront
  15. toast — bread
  16. drill — army training
  17. face — to point toward
  18. staff — employees

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