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: wax · swing · spring · season · bass · can · spell · wound

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. can — a tin
  4. swing — in golf
  5. spring — a coil
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. wax — to grow
  9. season — of the year
  10. spring — of water
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. can — a tin
  15. bass — the fish
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. spell — a short time
  18. bass — low music
  19. spell — letters
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — music
  23. spring — the season
  24. can — to be able to

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