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: present · perch · race · bank · mouse · season · hide · toast

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. season — in sport
  3. bank — for money
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. race — a contest
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. present — the time now
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. toast — bread
  13. perch — the fish
  14. bank — of a river
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. bank — for money
  17. race — humankind
  18. present — a gift
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. race — the arms race
  22. present — there
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. season — of the year

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