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: jam · drill · pitcher · spell · mate · object · deal · dip

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mate — a partner
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. spell — magic
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. drill — a practice
  10. deal — to handle
  11. object — an aim
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. dip — to sink
  14. mate — a friend
  15. drill — army training
  16. mate — to breed
  17. spell — letters
  18. drill — the tool
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. object — a thing
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. object — to protest

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