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: pit · rash · track · toast · bank · spell · object · season

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bank — for money
  3. pit — a hole
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — hasty
  6. spell — letters
  7. toast — bread
  8. season — of the year
  9. bank — of a river
  10. track — a path
  11. pit — in a race
  12. track — a song
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — to protest
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. track — to keep track
  20. spell — a short time
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. object — a thing
  24. bank — for money

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