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: row · rush · season · spell · fan · nail · file · craft

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. season — in sport
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. spell — magic
  9. file — a document
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. row — a line
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — of the year
  14. file — a tool
  15. file — a line of people
  16. rush — hurry
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. row — to paddle
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. spell — letters
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — boats
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. nail — on a finger

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