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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. key — in music
  3. mark — a grade
  4. perch — the fish
  5. stock — shares
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. branch — a division
  10. stock — goods
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. key — for a lock
  14. mark — a trace
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. drill — a practice
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. toast — bread
  22. drill — the tool
  23. key — the most important part
  24. drill — army training

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