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: tube · content · spell · bat · wake · rash · stand · suit

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  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. spell — magic
  2. spell — letters
  3. stand — to bear
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. content — happy
  9. rash — a series
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wake — a trail
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bat — the animal
  16. spell — a short time
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. content — the amount
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — a container
  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