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: spell · suit · shower · rush · net · march · capital · mug

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — a cup
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. spell — letters
  7. march — the month
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. rush — hurry
  12. spell — magic
  13. capital — money
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. capital — a city
  17. net — for catching
  18. shower — rain
  19. mug — to rob
  20. net — in sport
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. shower — to wash
  23. net — after costs
  24. suit — clothes

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