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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. wound — an injury
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ground — the earth
  9. toast — bread
  10. ground — a position
  11. present — there
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. mark — a grade
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. land — a country
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. land — ground
  21. land — to come down
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — the time now

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