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: pitch · roll · stick · spell · bay · fan · shower · drill

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. roll — a list
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — completely
  7. drill — the tool
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. shower — rain
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. spell — magic
  14. drill — a practice
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. shower — to wash
  21. roll — a cake
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. spell — letters
  24. drill — army training

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