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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. season — of the year
  7. snap — to click
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. ground — a position
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. ground — crushed
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. spell — a short time
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. season — in sport
  18. spell — letters
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mine — for digging
  24. ground — the earth

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