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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bound — tied together
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. spell — magic
  8. firm — a company
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bound — certain
  12. firm — decided
  13. spell — a short time
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. spell — letters
  20. bat — the animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. firm — steady
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. calf — of the leg

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