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: trunk · spell · rush · leaves · pitch · ball · ruler · wind

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. pitch — completely
  3. spell — magic
  4. wind — moving air
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. ball — a great time
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. spell — letters
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. spell — a short time
  24. leaves — lets stay

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