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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. track — a path
  7. object — an aim
  8. march — the month
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. drill — a practice
  11. face — to point toward
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. object — to protest
  14. foot — a measure
  15. dip — to sink
  16. track — to keep track
  17. face — to confront
  18. toast — bread
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. drill — the tool
  22. drill — army training
  23. track — a song
  24. face — part of the head

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