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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. craft — boats
  5. root — of a plant
  6. hand — help
  7. bat — the animal
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bore — to drill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. hand — in cards
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. bore — to tire
  20. root — the cause
  21. date — the fruit
  22. toast — bread
  23. root — of a word
  24. toast — the most admired

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