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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. craft — a skill
  3. drill — the tool
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. row — a line
  8. dip — to sink
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. vault — a safe
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. kick — in football
  14. drill — a practice
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. drill — army training
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. craft — boats
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — to paddle
  24. kick — a thrill

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