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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. lean — thin
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — clever
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. key — in music
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. key — for a lock
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. spell — letters
  12. lean — to bend
  13. spell — magic
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — for golf
  16. branch — a division
  17. key — the most important part
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. club — a group

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