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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. season — in sport
  3. spell — a short time
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. row — a line
  6. lean — to bend
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. lean — thin
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. spell — letters
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. season — of the year
  17. row — to paddle
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — the fruit
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. chip — to eat
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. chip — for betting

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