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 · wake · content · suit · stock · craft · date · perch

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  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. toast — bread
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. wake — a trail
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. craft — boats
  6. date — the fruit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. suit — clothes
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — goods
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. content — the amount
  17. suit — in cards
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. craft — a skill
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. content — happy
  22. suit — to fit
  23. perch — the fish
  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