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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. band — a ring
  3. spell — magic
  4. band — a music group
  5. season — of the year
  6. bark — to shout
  7. spring — the season
  8. spring — a coil
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. spell — a short time
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. fine — high quality
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. fine — all right
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. staff — employees
  21. season — in sport
  22. spring — of water
  23. staff — a stick
  24. spell — letters

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