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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. spring — the season
  4. pop — music
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. scale — size or range
  9. pop — soda
  10. scale — in music
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — in cards
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. ball — a dance
  18. pop — to visit
  19. suit — to fit
  20. rash — a series
  21. pass — a permit
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. spring — a coil
  24. rash — hasty

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