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 120 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. rush — hurry
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. spell — magic
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. current — happening now
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. current — electric
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. ball — a dance
  17. pass — a permit
  18. spell — letters
  19. current — of water
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. spell — a short 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