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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. cold — an illness
  5. deal — to handle
  6. fall — the season
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. suit — in cards
  10. fall — to drop
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. cold — not warm
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. fall — to drop
  15. suit — to fit
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. pitcher — in baseball

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