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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. present — the time now
  4. spell — magic
  5. ball — a great time
  6. rule — a law
  7. ball — a dance
  8. present — there
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. spell — a short time
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — boats
  13. present — a gift
  14. drill — the tool
  15. spell — letters
  16. drill — army training
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — government
  22. toast — bread
  23. drill — a practice
  24. ball — a round shape

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