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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — army training
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. toast — bread
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. drill — the tool
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to sink
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bank — for money
  17. date — the fruit
  18. plane — a tool
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. fork — in a road

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