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 took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. pop — to visit
  4. mark — a grade
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bank — of a river
  7. present — a gift
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bank — for money
  11. pop — soda
  12. bank — for money
  13. pop — music
  14. band — a music group
  15. mark — a trace
  16. present — the time now
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. band — a ring
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. present — there
  21. net — after costs
  22. spell — letters
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. net — in sport

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