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: cabinet · mark · march · spring · hide · straw · chip · toast

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. march — music
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mark — a grade
  8. spring — a coil
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. march — the month
  12. chip — for betting
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. spring — of water
  15. chip — to eat
  16. toast — bread
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. spring — the season
  20. march — the month
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. chip — in a computer

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