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: suit · mug · snap · cap · band · mate · object · spell

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. spell — letters
  4. mug — to rob
  5. band — a music group
  6. mug — a cup
  7. object — to protest
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mug — a face
  11. cap — of ice
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. snap — to click
  14. suit — to fit
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — a short time
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mate — a friend
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — an aim
  21. band — a ring
  22. cap — a hat
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. suit — in cards

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