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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. staff — a stick
  4. spell — letters
  5. foot — a measure
  6. suit — in cards
  7. spell — magic
  8. suit — to fit
  9. staff — employees
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. spring — of water
  12. spring — a coil
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. staff — employees
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. rash — hasty
  19. suit — clothes
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. pound — a weight
  22. spring — the season
  23. rash — a series
  24. pound — for dogs

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