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

Word bank: bay · dip · spell · pass · prune · wind · key · pitcher

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. spell — magic
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. spell — letters
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. key — for a lock
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. key — in music
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. wind — moving air
  18. dip — to sink
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. key — the most important part

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