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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — music
  7. bank — for money
  8. mark — a grade
  9. sharp — clever
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. spell — magic
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. spell — a short time
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mine — for digging
  19. bank — for money
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. bank — of a river
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mark — to pay attention

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