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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. toast — bread
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. tube — the underground
  9. date — the fruit
  10. can — a tin
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. tube — a container
  20. can — a tin
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. mine — for digging
  24. arm — part of the body

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