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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — letters
  3. saw — the tool
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mark — a grade
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. mark — a trace
  13. game — wild animals
  14. ground — the earth
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ground — a position
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. game — a match
  19. ground — crushed
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. saw — the tool
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. spell — magic

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