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: toast · ruler · snap · bowl · spell · stick

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. toast — bread
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. spell — letters
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. snap — to click
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — magic
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bowl — a football final

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