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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. object — to protest
  3. object — a thing
  4. spell — magic
  5. charge — a price
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. rock — a stone
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. object — an aim
  12. rock — music
  13. charge — electricity
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. spell — a short time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. charge — in control
  24. pass — to spend time

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