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: deal · sharp · fine · spell · tube · perch · mate · bowl

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. spell — a short time
  3. fine — all right
  4. spell — magic
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. perch — the fish
  9. mate — to breed
  10. fine — high quality
  11. tube — the underground
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. spell — letters
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. mate — a partner
  20. deal — to handle
  21. tube — a container
  22. sharp — clever
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. tube — in a tire

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