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: fine · spell · hand · pass · fall · firm · shower · last

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. fine — all right
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. spell — letters
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. fall — to drop
  9. firm — steady
  10. last — to go on
  11. hand — help
  12. hand — in cards
  13. shower — rain
  14. fall — to drop
  15. spell — magic
  16. fine — high quality
  17. firm — decided
  18. last — final
  19. fall — the season
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. shower — to wash
  23. last — finally
  24. firm — a company

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