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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. can — a tin
  7. bark — to shout
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. last — to go on
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. toast — bread
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. last — finally
  20. suit — clothes
  21. saw — the tool
  22. suit — to fit
  23. can — to be able to
  24. mouse — the animal

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