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: bat · fork · bass · toast · last · mug · perch · fine

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. mug — a face
  4. last — final
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bass — low music
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. last — finally
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bat — the animal
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. toast — bread
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — to rob
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. fine — all right
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — high quality
  21. last — to go on
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. fork — a garden tool

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