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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. track — to keep track
  7. fine — all right
  8. tube — a container
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. spell — magic
  11. bulb — for light
  12. toast — bread
  13. track — a path
  14. fine — high quality
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. track — a song
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bulb — for light
  21. spell — a short time
  22. tube — the underground
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. bulb — of a plant

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