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 · bear · stick · land · pass · roll · drill · sharp

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. bear — the animal
  3. land — to come down
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. toast — bread
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. land — ground
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — the tool
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. bear — the animal
  16. sharp — clever
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. roll — a cake
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. land — a country
  22. pass — a permit
  23. drill — a practice
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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