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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. spell — a short time
  4. hand — in cards
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pitch — completely
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. craft — boats
  12. sharp — clever
  13. lie — to recline
  14. key — in music
  15. roll — a cake
  16. key — the most important part
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. spell — magic
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. roll — a list
  23. key — for a lock
  24. hand — help

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