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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rash — a series
  4. pop — music
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. suit — in cards
  7. wind — moving air
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. club — a group
  11. wind — moving air
  12. suit — to fit
  13. club — for golf
  14. club — for dancing
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. dip — to sink
  17. pop — soda
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. rash — hasty
  20. pop — to visit
  21. season — in sport
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. dip — a sauce

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