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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. court — for sport
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. current — happening now
  7. pop — soda
  8. race — a contest
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. spell — letters
  12. current — electric
  13. pop — to visit
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. court — of a king
  16. race — the arms race
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pop — music
  19. current — of water
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. race — humankind
  22. court — of law
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. fork — in a road

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