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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. spell — magic
  3. game — wild animals
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. fall — to drop
  6. spell — a short time
  7. mug — to rob
  8. field — for sport
  9. fall — the season
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. key — the most important part
  12. field — a subject
  13. spell — letters
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. mug — a cup
  16. field — farmland
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. fall — to drop
  21. key — for a lock
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. game — a match
  24. mug — a face

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