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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. wind — moving air
  4. lean — thin
  5. mate — a partner
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rest — a break
  9. mate — to breed
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. lean — to bend
  14. board — a committee
  15. wind — moving air
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. toast — bread
  20. mate — a friend
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — to get on
  24. toast — the most admired

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