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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. rock — music
  3. degree — temperature
  4. suit — in cards
  5. spell — letters
  6. suit — to fit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bank — for money
  11. last — to go on
  12. spell — magic
  13. degree — an amount
  14. suit — clothes
  15. degree — from a university
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bank — for money
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. last — final
  21. prune — to trim
  22. last — finally
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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