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: stock · season · safe · fall · club · roll · saw · spell

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. fall — to drop
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. season — of the year
  5. fall — to drop
  6. club — for dancing
  7. spell — magic
  8. stock — shares
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. stock — goods
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. spell — letters
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. club — a group
  15. roll — a list
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. club — for golf
  19. saw — the tool
  20. spell — a short time
  21. roll — a cake
  22. fall — the season
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. saw — the tool

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