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: stick · spell · row · safe · wind · deal · cue · date

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. wind — moving air
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. row — a line
  6. spell — magic
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. deal — to handle
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. cue — for pool
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. date — the fruit
  17. spell — letters
  18. row — to paddle
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — a hint
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wind — moving air

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