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: spell · bass · craft · pit · drill · file · row · mark

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. file — a line of people
  3. spell — magic
  4. drill — the tool
  5. file — a tool
  6. drill — army training
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. drill — a practice
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bass — the fish
  11. craft — boats
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. row — a line
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. row — to paddle
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — a trace
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — in a race
  21. file — a document
  22. bass — low music
  23. spell — letters
  24. craft — a handicraft

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