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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. bank — for money
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. court — for sport
  6. spell — a short time
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bank — for money
  12. net — in sport
  13. spell — magic
  14. court — of law
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. court — of a king
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. net — for catching
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. net — after costs
  22. bank — of a river
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. ruler — a monarch

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