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: fan · track · rest · suit · spell · current · bowl · rush

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. current — of water
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. track — a path
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. spell — letters
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. spell — magic
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rest — what's left
  14. current — happening now
  15. rest — what's left
  16. suit — to fit
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. track — a song
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. current — electric
  22. spell — a short time
  23. rest — a break
  24. suit — clothes

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