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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. face — to confront
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. rock — music
  7. fork — in a road
  8. toast — bread
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. root — the cause
  11. wound — an injury
  12. root — of a plant
  13. rock — a stone
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. face — part of the head
  18. root — of a word
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. wound — an injury
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. face — to point toward
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. cabinet — ministers

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