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 · cap · bowl · prune · content · cue · sharp · bay

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. content — the amount
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. sharp — clever
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. cap — of ice
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. toast — bread
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. prune — to trim
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. content — happy
  22. cue — a signal
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. content — videos and posts

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