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 116 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. spell — letters
  5. bank — for money
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. spell — a short time
  9. dip — to sink
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. swing — in golf
  13. firm — decided
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bank — of a river
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — a company
  18. bank — for money
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — music
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — in football

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