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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. toast — bread
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. fall — the season
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. fall — to drop
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fall — to drop
  14. rule — government
  15. mate — to breed
  16. pit — a hole
  17. rule — a law
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. perch — the fish
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pit — in a race
  24. foot — a measure

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