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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mug — a cup
  4. spell — magic
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. bass — low music
  8. spell — letters
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bulb — for light
  12. snap — to click
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — to rob
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — a division
  22. bulb — for light
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. bulb — of a plant

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