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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wake — a trail
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. object — a thing
  8. toast — bread
  9. pass — a permit
  10. object — an aim
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. march — the month
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. march — the month
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. object — to protest
  24. march — music

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