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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. suit — clothes
  3. pop — to visit
  4. band — a music group
  5. suit — to fit
  6. pop — music
  7. net — in sport
  8. bass — the fish
  9. dip — to sink
  10. spell — a short time
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. band — a ring
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. spell — magic
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. net — after costs
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pop — soda
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. net — for catching
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bass — low music

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