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: cold · arm · cabinet · suit · toast · present · staff · net

  1. The water is too ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. suit — in cards
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. present — there
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. suit — clothes
  7. cold — an illness
  8. present — a gift
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. staff — employees
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. staff — a stick
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. net — after costs
  15. suit — to fit
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. net — in sport
  18. present — the time now
  19. net — for catching
  20. staff — employees
  21. toast — bread
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. toast — the most admired

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