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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bat — the animal
  5. row — to paddle
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. saw — the tool
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — size or range
  11. foot — a measure
  12. season — in sport
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. toast — bread
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. season — of the year
  19. row — a line
  20. can — a tin
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. scale — for weighing
  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