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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bulb — for light
  4. suit — clothes
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. squash — to crush
  9. kid — child
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. toast — bread
  12. craft — boats
  13. suit — in cards
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. cold — not warm
  18. bulb — for light
  19. squash — the sport
  20. cold — an illness
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. suit — to fit
  23. craft — a skill
  24. kid — to tease

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