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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bound — certain
  6. spell — magic
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. cold — an illness
  9. bound — tied together
  10. suit — in cards
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — thin
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bound — obliged
  17. cold — not warm
  18. spell — letters
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bulb — for light
  23. suit — to fit
  24. saw — the tool

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