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 116 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: bass · rash · spell · deal · bore · court · bark · wake

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. spell — letters
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. court — for sport
  6. bark — to shout
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rash — a series
  9. court — of law
  10. bore — to tire
  11. wake — a trail
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bass — low music
  16. spell — a short time
  17. rash — hasty
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. court — of a king
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bore — to drill
  24. spell — magic

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