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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. object — an aim
  4. spell — letters
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. ball — a great time
  7. chest — a box
  8. ball — a dance
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. chest — of your body
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. object — to protest
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. spell — magic
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. wind — moving air
  20. object — a thing
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. chest — of your body

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