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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mug — a cup
  3. season — of the year
  4. spell — letters
  5. firm — steady
  6. mark — a grade
  7. rock — a stone
  8. mug — a face
  9. mark — a trace
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — a short time
  12. season — in sport
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. firm — decided
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. swing — music
  17. rock — music
  18. craft — a skill
  19. mug — to rob
  20. swing — in golf
  21. firm — a company
  22. craft — boats
  23. swing — to play on
  24. rock — to move gently

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