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: roll · pit · clip · present · leaves · last · coach · toast

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. roll — a cake
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. roll — a list
  6. present — the time now
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. last — final
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. present — there
  12. present — a gift
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. last — to go on
  16. pit — in a race
  17. clip — to cut
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. clip — a video
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. clip — for paper
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. toast — bread

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