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: saw · can · mark · game · race · toast · face · bound

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. can — a tin
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. face — to confront
  5. face — part of the head
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bound — obliged
  9. race — a contest
  10. mark — a grade
  11. saw — the tool
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bound — certain
  14. race — humankind
  15. can — a tin
  16. mark — a trace
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. face — to point toward
  19. game — wild animals
  20. bound — tied together
  21. can — to be able to
  22. toast — bread
  23. game — a match
  24. mark — to pay attention

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