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: spell · bound · cap · perch · club · jam · wave · wind

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. bound — certain
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. spell — a short time
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. spell — letters
  7. wind — moving air
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. cap — a hat
  10. perch — the fish
  11. cap — a lid
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. cap — of ice
  16. club — for golf
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — tied together
  19. club — for dancing
  20. wind — moving air
  21. spell — magic
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. club — a group
  24. wave — with your hand

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