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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. land — to come down
  3. spell — magic
  4. bass — the fish
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. spell — letters
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. kick — in football
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — low music
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. land — a country
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. spell — a short time
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — high quality
  20. pass — a permit
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. fine — all right
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pass — to succeed

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