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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. chip — to eat
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. chip — for betting
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. spell — letters
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. rush — hurry
  21. spell — a short time
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. jam — in traffic

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