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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. sharp — clever
  7. mine — for digging
  8. branch — a division
  9. spell — magic
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. field — farmland
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. suit — to fit
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. field — for sport
  19. spell — letters
  20. kick — in football
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. field — a subject
  24. branch — of a tree

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