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 124 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rash — hasty
  3. saw — the tool
  4. track — a path
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — in sport
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. spell — letters
  9. ball — a dance
  10. rash — a series
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. spell — a short time
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. track — a song
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. season — of the year
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. track — to keep track
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. spell — magic

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