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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bass — low music
  3. squash — to crush
  4. spell — letters
  5. bound — certain
  6. spell — magic
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. bound — obliged
  11. squash — the sport
  12. bass — the fish
  13. rest — what's left
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to click
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. branch — a division
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bound — tied together

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