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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bank — for money
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bank — of a river
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. key — in music
  10. toast — bread
  11. bass — the fish
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. pound — a weight
  18. dip — to sink
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bank — for money
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bass — low music

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