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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. ball — a great time
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cell — a phone
  6. ball — a dance
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. track — a song
  10. rest — what's left
  11. track — a path
  12. rest — a break
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. spell — letters
  17. lean — thin
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. track — to keep track
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. cell — in biology
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. ball — a round shape

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