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: deal · wake · spell · pitcher · firm · fork · ball · fall

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. ball — a dance
  3. wake — a trail
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. deal — to handle
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fork — in a road
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. spell — letters
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. firm — decided
  19. ball — a great time
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — magic
  22. firm — steady
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. firm — a company

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