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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. face — part of the head
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. game — wild animals
  5. fine — high quality
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. key — in music
  8. face — to confront
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. face — to point toward
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — a division
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — for a lock
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — to trim
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. toast — bread
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. game — a match
  24. fine — all right

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