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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. fine — all right
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bank — for money
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. suit — in cards
  9. object — to protest
  10. bank — for money
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — magic
  13. current — of water
  14. scale — in music
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. current — happening now
  18. current — electric
  19. object — an aim
  20. fine — high quality
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bank — of a river
  23. object — a thing
  24. spell — a short 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