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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. suit — to fit
  6. craft — boats
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. swing — in golf
  10. game — a match
  11. toast — bread
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. cap — a hat
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. swing — music
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cap — a lid
  22. game — wild animals
  23. swing — to play on
  24. cap — of ice

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