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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bass — the fish
  7. perch — the fish
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. roll — a cake
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. roll — a list
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bass — low music
  16. spell — magic
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — in sport
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bat — the animal
  21. season — of the year
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. spell — letters
  24. perch — for a bird

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