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 · foot · cabinet · wound · pass · rash · craft · present

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  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. present — a gift
  2. present — the time now
  3. wound — an injury
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pass — a permit
  8. craft — a skill
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wound — an injury
  13. present — there
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. toast — bread
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. craft — boats
  19. rash — hasty
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. foot — a measure
  22. rash — a series
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  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