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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bound — tied together
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. spell — magic
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. toast — bread
  12. bound — obliged
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bound — certain
  15. current — happening now
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. current — of water
  18. lie — to recline
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — letters
  21. saw — the tool
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. current — electric

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