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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. spell — a short time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. track — a song
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. shower — rain
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. ball — a great time
  12. spell — magic
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. hand — help
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. hand — in cards
  20. spell — letters
  21. track — a path
  22. shower — to wash
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. track — to keep track

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