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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. scale — size or range
  3. chip — to eat
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. band — a ring
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. band — a music group
  8. season — of the year
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — bread
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. chip — for betting
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. season — in sport

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