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: dip · spell · bass · stem · rule · ball · charge · mate

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. spell — magic
  3. stem — to come from
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. rule — a law
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. ball — a great time
  9. charge — a price
  10. bass — low music
  11. mate — a friend
  12. rule — government
  13. ball — a dance
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bass — the fish
  16. mate — to breed
  17. charge — electricity
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — a short time
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. charge — in control

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