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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. spell — a short time
  3. net — for catching
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. suit — clothes
  6. ground — the earth
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. game — a match
  9. suit — in cards
  10. spell — letters
  11. suit — to fit
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. game — wild animals
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. net — in sport
  17. net — after costs
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. spell — magic
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. chair — a leader
  23. ground — a position
  24. bulb — for light

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