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: cue · dip · toast · bear · fan · branch · race · object

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. race — the arms race
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. cue — a signal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. object — an aim
  15. race — a contest
  16. dip — to sink
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. race — humankind
  19. bear — the animal
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. toast — bread
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — a thing
  24. branch — a division

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