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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. spell — magic
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. spell — letters
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. toast — bread
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bass — the fish
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bass — low music
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. chip — to eat
  21. spell — a short time
  22. fork — in a road
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. fork — to eat with

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