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 · bank · face · chest · fork · lean · bowl · deal

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — magic
  4. chest — of your body
  5. lean — thin
  6. bank — for money
  7. chest — a box
  8. face — to point toward
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. face — part of the head
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. chest — of your body
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. face — to confront
  19. bank — of a river
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bank — for money
  23. fork — in a road
  24. fork — a garden tool

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