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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. mark — a grade
  3. drill — a practice
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. firm — decided
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. firm — steady
  11. dip — to sink
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — magic
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. drill — the tool
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. firm — a company
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. drill — army training
  24. mark — a trace

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