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: lean · chip · jam · toast · scale · kid · mate · drill

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. drill — army training
  6. toast — bread
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — thin
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. drill — the tool
  12. mate — to breed
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. kid — to tease
  15. mate — a partner
  16. lean — to bend
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — size or range
  20. chip — for betting
  21. kid — child
  22. chip — to eat
  23. drill — a practice
  24. mate — a friend

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