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: chip · craft · date · toast · deal · content · bass · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  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. bear — the animal
  2. bass — the fish
  3. date — the fruit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. craft — boats
  6. chip — for betting
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. bass — low music
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. craft — a skill
  11. deal — to handle
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. chip — to eat
  15. content — the amount
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. content — happy
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  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