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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. season — of the year
  5. spell — magic
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. ground — the earth
  8. ground — a position
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. spell — a short time
  12. key — for a lock
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. key — in music
  16. season — in sport
  17. ground — crushed
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. dip — to sink
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. key — the most important part
  24. spell — letters

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