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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. band — a ring
  3. lean — to bend
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — to rob
  7. roll — a cake
  8. mug — a cup
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. band — a music group
  11. toast — bread
  12. roll — a list
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. suit — clothes
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. lean — thin
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. suit — in cards
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. suit — to fit
  23. craft — boats
  24. roll — on a roll

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