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: march · spell · rush · vault · pitcher · wound · fan · suit

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rush — hurry
  3. spell — a short time
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. suit — clothes
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. vault — a safe
  9. suit — to fit
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. spell — magic
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. march — the month
  16. wound — an injury
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. spell — letters
  20. wound — an injury
  21. march — music
  22. suit — in cards
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. fan — a supporter

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