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: spell · bear · mate · mouse · staff · snap · bank · net

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. spell — magic
  3. snap — to click
  4. staff — employees
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. staff — a stick
  7. mate — to breed
  8. net — in sport
  9. bank — for money
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. spell — a short time
  12. staff — employees
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mate — a partner
  16. spell — letters
  17. bank — for money
  18. bear — the animal
  19. net — for catching
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. net — after costs
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bank — of a river

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