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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. suit — clothes
  5. face — to confront
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. spell — magic
  8. bass — low music
  9. march — the month
  10. march — the month
  11. suit — in cards
  12. face — to point toward
  13. deal — to handle
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. march — music
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. face — part of the head
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bass — the fish
  20. squash — to crush
  21. spell — letters
  22. squash — the sport
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. suit — to fit

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