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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. current — happening now
  3. ball — a great time
  4. object — to protest
  5. spell — magic
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. deal — to handle
  8. court — of law
  9. court — of a king
  10. current — electric
  11. object — an aim
  12. current — of water
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. rash — a series
  21. object — a thing
  22. court — for sport
  23. rash — hasty
  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