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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. race — a contest
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. mark — a grade
  6. race — humankind
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. race — the arms race
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. tube — the underground
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. roll — a cake
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. mark — a trace
  19. roll — a list
  20. tube — a container
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. toast — bread
  24. jam — in traffic

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