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: key · present · sharp · pit · row · toast · pop · spell

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. pop — to visit
  3. spell — a short time
  4. row — to paddle
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. row — a line
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. pit — in a race
  10. key — the most important part
  11. spell — letters
  12. sharp — clever
  13. pop — music
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. pop — soda
  16. pit — a hole
  17. key — for a lock
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — there
  20. spell — magic
  21. key — in music
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. present — the time now
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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