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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. craft — a skill
  6. toast — bread
  7. foot — a measure
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. row — a line
  14. snap — to click
  15. row — to paddle
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. foot — the bottom

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