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 asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — letters
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. game — wild animals
  5. firm — steady
  6. rest — what's left
  7. wake — a trail
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. game — a match
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. press — newspapers
  15. firm — a company
  16. spell — a short time
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. press — to push
  20. kid — to tease
  21. kid — child
  22. press — a publisher
  23. firm — decided
  24. safe — a strongbox

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