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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. club — a group
  3. staff — a stick
  4. toast — bread
  5. net — in sport
  6. root — of a word
  7. club — for golf
  8. spring — of water
  9. bank — for money
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. spring — a coil
  12. bank — of a river
  13. staff — employees
  14. root — of a plant
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. bank — for money
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — for catching
  20. club — for dancing
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. staff — employees
  23. spring — the season
  24. root — the cause

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