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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. prune — to trim
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. can — to be able to
  6. vault — a safe
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. can — a tin
  12. suit — clothes
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. hand — in cards
  16. toast — bread
  17. hand — help
  18. can — a tin
  19. row — to paddle
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. dip — to sink
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. row — a line

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