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 lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — a signal
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. perch — the fish
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. band — a music group
  9. band — a ring
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — music
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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