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: fine · coach · mate · wave · snap · fan · rest · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  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. spell — a short time
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. spell — letters
  5. rest — a break
  6. snap — to click
  7. mate — to breed
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — what's left
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fine — high quality
  16. mate — a partner
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. mate — a friend
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. fine — all right
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. fan — a supporter
  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