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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. ground — a position
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. ground — the earth
  11. fork — in a road
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. toast — bread
  14. cue — for pool
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. ground — crushed
  21. cue — a signal
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. toast — the most admired

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