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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. squash — the sport
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. spell — magic
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. charge — electricity
  10. court — for sport
  11. court — of a king
  12. spell — letters
  13. staff — employees
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. staff — a stick
  17. charge — in control
  18. staff — employees
  19. court — of law
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. charge — a price
  22. ball — a dance
  23. squash — to crush
  24. ball — a round shape

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