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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. net — after costs
  3. net — for catching
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cue — for pool
  6. toast — bread
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. cue — a signal
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bear — the animal
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. net — in sport
  18. cue — a hint
  19. content — the amount
  20. content — happy
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. plane — a tool
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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