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: mate · season · bank · mouse · content · rash · sharp · spell

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. spell — a short time
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — hasty
  5. sharp — clever
  6. spell — magic
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. mate — to breed
  13. spell — letters
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. season — of the year
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — a partner
  22. content — the amount
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. content — happy

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