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

Word bank: spell · net · pitcher · root · bass · chip

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. root — of a word
  5. chip — to eat
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — in sport
  9. spell — letters
  10. net — for catching
  11. root — the cause
  12. spell — a short time
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. chip — for betting
  16. root — of a plant
  17. bass — low music
  18. pitcher — a jug

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