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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pass — a permit
  5. court — of a king
  6. board — a committee
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. court — for sport
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. board — to get on
  11. bear — the animal
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. prune — to trim
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. toast — bread
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. mug — a face
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — to rob
  24. court — of law

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