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: mark · chair · rest · wind · bass · spell · stick · safe

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. rest — what's left
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. mark — a grade
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. spell — letters
  8. chair — a leader
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. spell — magic
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bass — the fish
  15. mark — a trace
  16. wind — moving air
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. bass — low music
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wind — to turn a key

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