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: nail · tear · rush · mark · spell · season · board · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. tear — from crying
  3. spell — a short time
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — a grade
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. spell — letters
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. tear — from crying
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. season — in sport
  15. board — a committee
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. spell — magic
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. tear — to rip
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — hurry
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. bass — low music
  24. season — of the year

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