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 keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. drill — army training
  3. spell — letters
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spell — magic
  6. swing — in golf
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — a permit
  9. deal — to handle
  10. swing — to play on
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. drill — the tool
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. swing — music
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. track — a path
  17. drill — a practice
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. track — a song
  22. staff — a stick
  23. fan — to cool the air
  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