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: rock · arm · bank · season · spell · kid · cap · land

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. spell — magic
  4. cap — of ice
  5. land — ground
  6. spell — letters
  7. season — of the year
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — a hat
  13. rock — a stone
  14. land — a country
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bank — of a river
  18. kid — to tease
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. land — to come down
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. spell — a short time
  23. season — in sport
  24. rock — music

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