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: march · snap · wave · dip · toast · leaves · mouse · scale

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. scale — in music
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. march — the month
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. dip — to sink
  12. march — music
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. toast — bread
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. scale — size or range
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. march — the month
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. snap — to click

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