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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mate — a partner
  3. bass — low music
  4. mate — a friend
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. spell — magic
  10. fork — in a road
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bass — the fish
  13. fine — all right
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. spell — letters
  16. ball — a dance
  17. mate — to breed
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. ball — a round shape

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