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: rest · season · bass · snap · bay · rush · toast · spring

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. snap — to click
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bass — the fish
  13. season — in sport
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. spring — the season
  17. season — of the year
  18. spring — a coil
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. bass — low music
  24. spring — of water

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