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: present · stock · mine · toast · bank · wake · band · squash

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. band — a music group
  3. present — the time now
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. present — there
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. squash — to crush
  8. wake — a trail
  9. band — a ring
  10. bank — of a river
  11. present — a gift
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. squash — the sport
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bank — for money
  19. toast — bread
  20. stock — goods
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. mine — for digging
  23. stock — shares
  24. bank — for money

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