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: tube · shower · pass · temple · spell · pit · scale · last

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — in music
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pit — a hole
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — the underground
  10. last — to go on
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pass — a permit
  13. shower — rain
  14. pit — in a race
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. shower — to wash
  19. last — finally
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. last — final
  22. spell — letters
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. spell — a short time

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