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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. roll — a list
  4. toast — bread
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. key — for a lock
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. roll — a cake
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. board — to get on
  12. key — in music
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. file — a document
  16. file — a line of people
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. lean — to bend
  19. key — the most important part
  20. board — a committee
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. lean — thin

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