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 116 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. spell — letters
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. spell — magic
  8. field — farmland
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. field — a subject
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. field — for sport
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. kick — in football
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. sharp — exactly

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