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 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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. march — the month
  5. spring — a coil
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bore — to tire
  8. spell — letters
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. spell — a short time
  12. swing — to play on
  13. spring — of water
  14. bass — low music
  15. press — a publisher
  16. swing — music
  17. spring — the season
  18. press — to push
  19. swing — in golf
  20. march — the month
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. march — music
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — the instrument

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