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: pass · spell · hide · cold · nail · toast · band · charge

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. cold — not warm
  4. spell — magic
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. charge — a price
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. charge — in control
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. band — a ring
  12. spell — letters
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pass — a permit
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. toast — bread
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. spell — a short time
  23. cold — an illness
  24. charge — electricity

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