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 · last · bound · jam · date · branch · scale · cue

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. last — finally
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bound — obliged
  7. scale — size or range
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. toast — bread
  10. branch — a division
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bound — tied together
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. last — to go on
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. scale — in music
  18. date — the fruit
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. last — final
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. cue — for pool
  24. date — on the calendar

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