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: straw · spell · fall · cap · spring · firm · fine · pit

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. pit — in a race
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fall — to drop
  5. spell — a short time
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fine — all right
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — a company
  10. cap — a hat
  11. pit — a hole
  12. cap — of ice
  13. spring — of water
  14. spring — a coil
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. spell — magic
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. cap — a lid
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. spring — the season
  22. fine — high quality
  23. firm — steady
  24. fall — the season

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