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: spell · current · mark · rash · bay · bowl · cell · root

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. current — electric
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. spell — magic
  5. current — happening now
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. mark — a grade
  8. rash — hasty
  9. root — of a word
  10. rash — a series
  11. mark — a trace
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. cell — a phone
  15. cell — in biology
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. spell — letters
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. current — of water
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. root — the cause
  23. spell — a short time
  24. root — of a plant

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