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 116 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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pit — a hole
  4. spell — letters
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. content — happy
  8. spell — a short time
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — employees
  11. rash — hasty
  12. bank — for money
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. content — the amount
  19. staff — a stick
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. spell — magic
  22. rash — a series
  23. bank — for money
  24. pit — in a race

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