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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. spell — letters
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pass — a permit
  5. spell — a short time
  6. sharp — clever
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — to rob
  9. stock — shares
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. vault — a safe
  12. stock — goods
  13. spell — magic
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. spring — the season
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. spring — of water
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. spring — a coil
  21. rest — a break
  22. mug — a face
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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