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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. spell — magic
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. season — of the year
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — what's left
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. season — in sport
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rest — a break
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — hasty
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. date — the fruit
  24. spell — a short time

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