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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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 — magic
  2. spell — a short time
  3. ground — the earth
  4. mug — to rob
  5. suit — to fit
  6. fine — all right
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — a cup
  9. spell — letters
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. cold — not warm
  13. suit — clothes
  14. fine — high quality
  15. ground — a position
  16. ground — crushed
  17. cold — an illness
  18. bound — certain
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bound — obliged
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. suit — in cards
  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