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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. dip — to sink
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. ground — crushed
  8. wax — to grow
  9. toast — bread
  10. pop — soda
  11. march — music
  12. march — the month
  13. pop — music
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. ground — a position
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. march — the month
  19. ground — the earth
  20. pop — to visit
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wax — in the ear

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