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: scale · net · roll · fork · fine · safe · lash · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. scale — size or range
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. fine — high quality
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. spell — magic
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. fork — in a road
  13. net — in sport
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. spell — letters
  18. net — for catching
  19. roll — a cake
  20. fine — all right
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. roll — a list
  24. net — after costs

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