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 116 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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rash — a series
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — a short time
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. mine — for digging
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — size or range
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rash — hasty
  23. spell — magic
  24. mine — belonging to me

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