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: bowl · fine · mark · leaves · chip · cabinet · spell · rest

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. mark — a trace
  3. fine — all right
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. rest — a break
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. spell — a short time
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. rest — what's left
  15. spell — letters
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. chip — to eat
  20. rest — what's left
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. leaves — to go away

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