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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. toast — bread
  6. present — a gift
  7. scale — in music
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. present — the time now
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. scale — size or range
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. band — a music group
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. present — there
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. wax — to grow
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. band — a ring
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. saw — the tool

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