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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. hand — help
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bound — obliged
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. roll — a cake
  8. spell — magic
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. spell — letters
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. bound — certain
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. roll — a list
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. kick — in football
  23. hand — in cards
  24. bound — tied together

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