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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. present — there
  3. present — a gift
  4. pop — music
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. band — a ring
  9. bear — the animal
  10. row — to paddle
  11. pop — to visit
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — an injury
  14. toast — bread
  15. row — a line
  16. fork — in a road
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. band — a music group
  23. pop — soda
  24. present — the time now

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