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 would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. root — of a word
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. present — there
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. face — to confront
  7. mark — a trace
  8. root — the cause
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to point toward
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. toast — bread
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. present — the time now
  17. mark — a grade
  18. wound — an injury
  19. root — of a plant
  20. wound — an injury
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. present — a gift
  24. bay — a horse colour

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