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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. snap — to click
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. land — to come down
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. swing — music
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. land — a country
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. swing — to play on
  15. land — ground
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fork — in a road
  18. spell — a short time
  19. swing — in golf
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. spell — letters
  24. fan — a supporter

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