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: lie · firm · rest · sharp · wind · spell · roll · wake

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. rest — what's left
  4. wake — a trail
  5. roll — a list
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — decided
  9. rest — what's left
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. sharp — clever
  12. rest — a break
  13. firm — steady
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wind — moving air
  16. lie — to recline
  17. spell — magic
  18. roll — a cake
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. spell — letters

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