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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. can — a tin
  3. bank — for money
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bat — the animal
  7. sharp — clever
  8. bank — for money
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. chest — a box
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bank — of a river
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. can — a tin
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. chest — of your body
  19. mark — a grade
  20. toast — bread
  21. chest — of your body
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. leaves — lets stay

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