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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. rock — a stone
  4. tube — a container
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. mine — for digging
  7. ball — a dance
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rock — music
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. ball — a great time
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bulb — for light
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. tube — the underground
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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