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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. suit — clothes
  3. season — of the year
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. rest — a break
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. rest — what's left
  10. season — in sport
  11. file — a tool
  12. rest — what's left
  13. suit — in cards
  14. spell — letters
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. file — a line of people
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bat — the animal
  20. file — a document
  21. bass — low music
  22. sharp — clever
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. spell — magic

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