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: band · cap · season · deal · spell · charge · craft · bass

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — low music
  4. spell — magic
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — of ice
  7. season — in sport
  8. band — a music group
  9. band — a ring
  10. spell — letters
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. craft — boats
  13. deal — to handle
  14. charge — electricity
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. craft — a skill
  17. spell — a short time
  18. charge — in control
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. cap — a hat
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. season — of the year
  23. charge — a price
  24. craft — a handicraft

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