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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. spell — a short time
  4. last — to go on
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. branch — a division
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. last — finally
  12. roll — a cake
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. spell — letters
  15. last — final
  16. present — there
  17. toast — bread
  18. spell — magic
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. roll — a list
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. present — a gift
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. present — the time now

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