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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. ground — the earth
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. ground — crushed
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rest — what's left
  8. chair — a leader
  9. perch — the fish
  10. rest — a break
  11. toast — bread
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. ground — a position
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. stock — goods
  18. march — music
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. march — the month
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. march — the month
  23. stock — shares
  24. rest — what's left

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