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: spell · kid · cabinet · bass · key · jam · land · rush

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. land — to come down
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. land — a country
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. spell — letters
  7. bass — low music
  8. key — in music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. kid — to tease
  11. land — ground
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. spell — a short time
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. rush — hurry
  18. key — the most important part
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. bass — the fish
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. kid — child
  23. key — for a lock
  24. cabinet — ministers

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