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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. spell — letters
  4. pass — a permit
  5. last — final
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. wake — a trail
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. current — electric
  13. spell — magic
  14. saw — the tool
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — thin
  17. saw — the tool
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. last — finally
  20. lean — to bend
  21. current — of water
  22. dip — to sink
  23. last — to go on
  24. current — happening now

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