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: bore · pass · ball · scale · plane · track · spring · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spring — of water
  3. spell — letters
  4. track — a song
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bore — to drill
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. plane — a tool
  9. spring — the season
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. scale — in music
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. spring — a coil
  14. pass — a permit
  15. ball — a great time
  16. track — a path
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. spell — magic
  19. ball — a dance
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. bore — to tire
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. pass — to succeed

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