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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. content — the amount
  3. mark — a trace
  4. prune — to trim
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. mark — a grade
  7. content — happy
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. prune — to trim
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bound — tied together
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bound — certain
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. toast — bread
  20. cap — a hat
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bound — obliged
  23. cap — a lid
  24. toast — the most admired

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