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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the 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. firm — a company
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pitch — completely
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. firm — steady
  9. band — a ring
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. foot — a measure
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. wound — an injury
  15. firm — decided
  16. capital — a city
  17. wound — an injury
  18. capital — money
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. band — a music group
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. toast — bread

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