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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — a gift
  3. object — a thing
  4. toast — bread
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. present — there
  8. rest — a break
  9. mark — a trace
  10. object — an aim
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mark — a grade
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. rest — what's left
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — boats
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. rest — what's left
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. object — to protest
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. nail — for a hammer

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