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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. shower — rain
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. ground — a position
  5. spell — a short time
  6. season — of the year
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. spell — letters
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ground — crushed
  11. shower — to wash
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. chair — a leader
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. saw — the tool
  18. season — in sport
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. stand — to bear
  21. saw — the tool
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. spell — magic
  24. ball — a great time

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