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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: present · toast · jam · mug · land · swing

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. swing — to play on
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. present — the time now
  6. mug — a face
  7. mug — a cup
  8. land — a country
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — in golf
  11. toast — bread
  12. mug — to rob
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. present — there
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. land — to come down
  18. present — a gift

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