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 120 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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — magic
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. pass — a permit
  10. club — a group
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. current — of water
  13. branch — a division
  14. pitch — completely
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. rest — a break
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. current — electric
  20. club — for golf
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. current — happening now
  23. rest — what's left
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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