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 120 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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. dip — to sink
  4. spell — a short time
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. wind — moving air
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. pit — a hole
  12. branch — a division
  13. spell — letters
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — in a race
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. vault — a safe
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. wind — moving air
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. wind — to turn a key

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