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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. cap — of ice
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — all right
  12. cap — a hat
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. spell — letters
  15. cap — a lid
  16. spell — a short time
  17. deal — to handle
  18. safe — out of danger

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