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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fan · spell · bay · mouse · band · temple

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. 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. spell — magic
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. band — a ring
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. band — a music group
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. spell — letters
  18. 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