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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. ball — a great time
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. mine — for digging
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mark — a trace
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. spell — magic
  12. ball — a dance
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. spell — letters
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — clever

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