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 124 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. pass — a permit
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. drill — army training
  9. season — in sport
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. drill — the tool
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. fine — all right
  14. spell — magic
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. drill — a practice
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — of the year
  23. fine — high quality
  24. spell — a short time

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