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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. last — finally
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. row — a line
  7. land — to come down
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. land — ground
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. branch — a division
  13. toast — bread
  14. land — a country
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. last — to go on
  17. foot — a measure
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bear — the animal
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. last — final

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