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 · cue · sharp · saw · trunk · key · mate · bound

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bound — tied together
  4. saw — the tool
  5. toast — bread
  6. cue — a hint
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mate — a partner
  11. key — in music
  12. mate — to breed
  13. saw — the tool
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bound — certain
  17. key — the most important part
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. sharp — clever
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. bound — obliged
  22. key — for a lock
  23. cue — a signal
  24. sharp — exactly

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