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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bear — the animal
  5. hand — help
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. lean — thin
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. deal — to handle
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bear — the animal
  15. hand — in cards
  16. toast — bread
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. lean — to bend
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bowl — a football final

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