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 124 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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. swing — to play on
  3. last — finally
  4. march — music
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. last — to go on
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — letters
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. swing — music
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. march — the month
  16. fine — all right
  17. spell — magic
  18. last — final
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. march — the month
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. fan — to cool the air

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