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: rash · deal · toast · leaves · ball · net · mark · trunk

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. net — after costs
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. mark — a trace
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. net — in sport
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. rash — hasty
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. mark — a grade
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. deal — to handle
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. toast — bread
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. ball — a dance
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. net — for catching

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