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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — low music
  4. spell — letters
  5. suit — clothes
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. drill — army training
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. spell — magic
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — the tool
  21. bat — the animal
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. wound — an injury

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